The Legend of Tao Hua Hinamori
by moonlight.gabriel
Summary: AU - When China's greatest adversary threatens to invade the Imperial City, the Emperor resorts to his final option: initiate war. This is the story of the hardships a young girl encounters when she enlists in the army, disguised as a male. Hitsuhina
1. Prologue

_Guess who's back with a brand-new story! It was requested by _Merciless Ruby _a few months back, and I'm finally through writing it. I know a few other people have been waiting for this one as well, so thank you all for your patience. The wait is finally over!_

_A huge thank you to _PaperWishes, _my awesome beta for this story! And because I'm now getting these chapters beta-ed, the updates may be slower, but rest assured, in due time everything will be posted up._

_This is a Hitsuhina story based on Mulan._

_**Disclaimer: **I do not own Bleach (Tite Kubo), or Mulan (Disney)_

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Prologue

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The pages of the Middle Kingdom are decrepit – weighed down with an eon of tales – but the winds of time cannot ruffle the edges. Nothing can alter the pages within this ancient tome, and we cannot hope even to sweep away that which we do not want to see. Penitent for history will not be overshadowed, but neither will glory. For on these timeless pages lies a tale so illustrious, to surpass it is but a fleeting dream.

But first, like every story so meticulously woven, we must start at the beginning.

*****

_**Tang Dynasty 700 AD  
**__**Chang'an**_

*****

Another day was dawning in the capital of China, Chang'an, also known as the Imperial City. Towards the outer perimeter of southern Chang'an, brown workhorses ploughed through the wide dirt streets, wooden carts strapped behind them. The sound of their shoes drumming on the road mingled with the early risers: the merchant citizens that needed to set up and open their street stalls. Soon the air was infused with the smell of freshly steamed pork buns and spiced bear meat. Commoners who worked in the rice fields slowly streamed out of the city. The bulls that pulled their empty carts ambled in the premature hours.

Further in towards the north, the dirt streets transformed into clean and levelled cobblestone roads. The wealthier citizens began to awake. Some began to get ready for the day ahead, getting ready for their jobs. Children ran out wildly, gathered in groups and ran off to play and explore. The keepers of the small monasteries and family shrines started to light incenses, so that the fragrance of camellia and cherry oak would be ready for the day's prayers.

Right up against the northern end of Chang'an, surrounded by high walls on three sides, was the imperial palace. It was the city's architectural edifice with its splendid white walls and red pagoda roofs. Two identical towers flanked both sides of the main three-tier building, and stairs of a hundred steps – wide enough to accommodate six large horses side by side – ran from the enormous square courtyard to the equally large front doors.

The sun was well above the horizon now. A young boy with a mop of brown hair walked through the bustling streets holding a bamboo scroll under his arm. The clothes he wore today were the finest ones he owned for today he would finally enter the imperial palace. Although he was only five years old, he was extremely literate. He headed towards the imperial palace to show his great promise to Emperor Yamamoto's scholars themselves.

"Sosuke dear, watch out!"

His mother pulled him back next to her. If she had been even a second late, her son would have been trampled under the horse's hooves. She bent down and brushed the dirt off his clothes.

"Thank you, Mama."

He smiled impishly when he received a pat on the head and continued on his way to the palace, this time staying by his mother's side. They walked into the imperial courtyard – which was always open to public – and began their ascent of the hundred steps to the front doors. There, they gave the guards their official invitation and were permitted inside the palace.

"Welcome, honoured guests. Our scholars will be with you momentarily."

The young servant bowed and walked away, leaving the two to take in the scene around them in awe. Soon the scholar came, dressed in a robe of crimson lined with gold. Both Etsuko and Sosuke Aizen placed their hand together and bowed in respect, albeit it being a little difficult for the young boy. When they straightened themselves, the scholar motioned for the bamboo scroll.

"Ah, what a wise composition for one so young. You show great promise for the literary arts, Sosuke Aizen." The scholar closed the scroll but did not hand it back. "I shall go and fetch the Emperor."

As soon as the scholar's robes were out of sight, Etsuko bent down to hug her son. "Mama is so proud of you, Sosuke. Emperor Yamamoto will be reading the very words you wrote!"

The scholar returned, leading them straight through the entrance room and into the Emperor's throne room. It was decorated heavily in red, the Chinese lucky colour. Many tapestries hung on the walls, embroidered with gold oriental dragons. At the top of a small flight of stairs, sitting on a legless and wide cushioned throne was Emperor Shigekuni Genryusai Yamamoto. His black hair was showing no signs of turning white, but he was approaching his later years. The three bowed in respect, lifting their heads back up only when told to.

"Sosuke Aizen," Emperor Yamamoto addressed. "Indeed you show great promise for one whose life has barely begun. Should you continue to work hard and strive to expand your thoughts and learn about the world around you, I have no doubts that you will become a personal consultant of mine."

"T-thank you," the child managed, scarcely concealing his pride.

"Until we meet again young one. I expect to see you in the examination halls when you come of age."

*****

Fifteen-year-old Sosuke Aizen stood proudly with his head held high as Emperor Yamamoto read through his examination. Ever since he last met with the Emperor ten years ago, he had spent every day studying diligently for this moment: the moment when he would be made a part of the Emperor's consul. Even before he met with the Emperor, it had been his greatest dream. That dream was fortified and made more into a reality when the Emperor spoke words of encouragement to him that day so long ago.

One could only ever take the examination once, but he held no doubt in his ability to pass. So close to realising his dream, basking in the knowledge of all his hard work and natural intelligence, he failed to see the eyebrows of Emperor Yamamoto crease more inwards the further he progressed through the bamboo scroll. He reached the end of the scroll and paused before rolling it back up. He handed it to the servant next to him, who promptly scurried down to hand back to the examinee.

"Sosuke Aizen, I regret to inform you that you have failed the examination."

The smile on his face fell down and he cautiously looked from the Emperor to the scroll in his hands in complete and utter shock. He didn't understand it; _failure_? There must be some mistake!

"With all due respect, your Excellency," he began, voice wavering almost inaudible, "why have I not passed? I have studied hard – extremely hard, every _single _day for the past decade. Why, _what _did I do wrong?" he pleaded, desperation edging his words.

"It is simple. You failed to heed my words. To become a part of my consul, you must open yourself to the world around you and seek to broaden your horizons."

"B-but your Excellency, I've studied upon the history and the victories of our Middle Kingdom, the great rise to our capital, even analysed the very essence of our life! I have memorised many books in our archives and have accumulated knowledge in all imaginable aspects!"

"But no matter how many of the worldly texts you commit to memory, it does not change how closed and narrow your mind remains. I am afraid my consul will find no use of vision as shallow as the puddles."

The Emperor said no more to him and called for the next examinee. Sosuke Aizen was lead numbly out of the palace. He stood frozen and listened as the gates into the palace slammed behind him with a thunderous bang. The sun was setting; it was nearly the end of day. The scroll rested in his slack grip as he half-consciously plodded down the front steps. He found himself stopping when he reached the middle of the courtyard. Turning around, he gazed upon the imperial palace.

All of his dreams were born inside those walls, and inside those walls was where his dreams were mercilessly shattered. As he looked upon those white walls, he realised that if the Emperor had never said those words to him, then that dream could have never sprouted. It would have died off as a bud, as many dreams that children have do. Ten years of his life was wasted on some old fool couldn't even govern the country without the help of his precious consul.

He tightened his grip around the scroll until his fingernails tore through the bamboo. His brown eyes burned with passionate fury. Casting the scroll into the dirt, he scuffed it under his shoes until it was damaged irreparably. Without a second look at the palace, he walked back into town with nothing but revenge on his mind.

*****

Winds whipped through the Mongolian forests, forcing the sturdy trees to bend at their will. Hundreds of pine needles were blown off, threatening to stab anything in their way. It was the darkest hour of night, and the moon and stars were well concealed behind a thick blanket of clouds. A large and muscular horse with a coat that rivalled the night slowly stepped out from the forest. Riding it was a hooded figure covered in clothes sewn from thick wolf pelt. Small puffs of mists appeared and faded with each deep breath the figure took.

Stretched before the figure were the frozen plains of Khitan; further down rose into the hazardous Honshu Mountains; and beyond that, the imperial capital of Chang'an.

"Are we going directly for Chang'an again, Aizen, sir?"

Two more figures rode up next to the black horse on their own mounts, though neither horse could compare with that of their leader. Aizen pushed back his heavy hood, revealing a chiselled face, brown hair and heartless eyes. He smirked at the terrain that stretched before him.

"Yes. It's about time my revenge is extracted."

It had been ten years since he last set foot in Chang'an, but twenty-five in total since he fled as a boy. After he escaped from his hometown that day, he travelled down the path of a nomadic warrior. At first he trained deep in the nearby forest, surviving off the game he caught and the water from the river. It was extremely difficult to get by at first; he had never done anything like this before, but his ever-growing thirst for revenge drove him to continue.

The great intellect he was blessed with was an invaluable aid to him. During the first four years in the forest, he survived by crafting makeshift weapons out of sharpened rocks. Soon, with the aid of his crude spears and daggers, he had access to many different pelts and bones, using them to ease the strain of survival. To this day he still had the very first spearhead he crafted. The Emperor was wrong. To see such banalities as weapons; was that not proof in itself that he possessed a mind as broad as the heavens?

Aizen smirked and patted the small leather pocket which kept that spearhead close to him. The idea of plunging it into the Emperor's heart, taking his life and becoming the new Emperor of China excited his senses in every way. He slipped his hood back on and looked smugly at the army, _his _army of two hundred thousand emerging slowly from the forest.

"Move out."

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_:) It feels so good to be posting something up again! I'm working on my next one-shot for _One, Two, Skip a Few_, so hopefully that will be out soon. Also, the title will be explained in the next chapter!_

_Thank you for reading! Please review!_


	2. Just One

_*****Anonymous reviewers:_

Fanda-Panda_: -laugh- Of course I'm not offended! Everybody is entitled to their own opinions. Hey, at least you didn't drop a review just to say you didn't like Mulan and leave it like that! I'm glad that even though Mulan isn't your favourite Disney, you would still read my fanfiction. Thank you so much for that! And, of course, thank you for the reivew! It was a pleasure to read! (Oh, and another HUGE thank you to you as well for that review on my mermaid story. You are one awesome reviewer! Thanks for taking the time to write that.) That also sums up my two favourite Disney movies: The Little Mermaid & Mulan._

Akira Sakurai_: Well, as you can see, I've continued! Welcome to the wonderful world of hitsuhina, the best pairing in Bleach (-laugh- no biasness here!). I'm sure you'll enjoy reading all the wonderful stories about these two - there are many. Thank you so much for your review! I hope you enjoy this chapter; also, I hope you haven't been waiting too long!_

_*** **A huge thank you worthy of the golden globes for my fantastic beta, _PaperWishes, _for without her and her amazing beta-ing talents this story wouldn't be half as enjoyable! Thank you! (By the way, I credit most of the first paragraph in QingTian to you! You can't deny it! I love your insert so, so much!)_

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**Chapter 1 – Just One**

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_**Chang'an  
**__**Imperial Palace**_

*****

With the utmost of urgency, the twin doors to the Emperor's throne room were thrown open, making way for three soldiers. Leader of China's armed forces, General Jushiro Ukitake, stood in the centre garbed in full battle armour. Flanking both his sides were his Lieutenant Generals: Ikkaku Madarame and Tetsuzaemon Iba. They too wore their armour, but theirs were not as elaborate as the General's. The three knelt down and Jushiro removed his gold-plated helmet.

"Your Excellency, we have received word that the Chao army, led by Sosuke Aizen, is headed straight for Chang'an," he said without prompt.

"Impossible. No one can cross the Honshu Mountains," Chojiro Sasakibe, the head of the Emperor's council, scoffed from his place behind his superior. "The very idea is–"

Emperor Yamamoto silenced Chojiro with a simple wave of his hand and returned his incicive gaze to Jushiro. "How has this information been confirmed, General?" he asked while folding his aged hands in his laps.

"One of my men was scouting the Khitan Plains, your Excellency. He sent word back with his kestrel, claiming that the Chao army had been spotted in the Mongolian pine forest, but we have not heard from him since." A hint of trouble in his voice gave way to his thoughts on what might have befallen his subordinate.

"How long is estimated before they reach the capital?"

"It is unclear at this moment, but they've yet to cross the Khitan plains. I estimate that it will take the Chao army at least two months to make it past the Honshu Mountains during the winter. However, we may have more time. I'm sure you're aware of this, your Excellency, but toying with his opponents is something Sosuke Aizen's notorious for."

"Sosuke Aizen…what a shame." Yamamoto's gaze stretched beyond the soldiers, and he released a battered sigh. "There is no doubt he plans to seize Chang'an by force, and with that my life."

"Your Excellency, I will have my men stationed around your palace at once."

"No, General. Have your men intercept the Chao army and protect my people. The same mistake will not be repeated." His tone was absolute. "Chojiro, send out conscriptions notices to every family within the kingdom. Prepare every soldier for battle and provide training for as many new recruits as possible."

Chojiro bowed and immediately walked away to begin necessary preparations. Yamamoto rose from his throne and folded his hands inside the sleeves of his golden longpiao; robes said to be imbued with a dragon's strength and nobility that only the Emperor was permitted to wear.

"General, I trust that you will find a suitable captain for the new recruits."

"With all due respect, your Excellency, I believe my men are powerful enough to stop the Chao army. Is there a need to risk the lives of more young men?"

"I will not take any chances." Even as the Emperor descended the stairs, the air was still and quiet His long and slender beard grazed the floor. Stopping in front of the General, he held out a bony finger. "A single grain of rice can tip the scales. One man may be the key to either victory or defeat."

*****

_**Qingtian  
**__**House of the Hinamori Family**_

_*****_

Behind the house, safely hidden from view was a small field, and standing in it was a sixteen-year-old girl. Sweeping back her hair, the girl slashed at the air, left and right, landing four consecutive blows on the imaginary enemy. Within her wild imagination, she was overpowering the small army that surrounded her, but to anyone watching, she was simply training.

Her name was Tao Hua Hinamori, the only child of honourable Long Fei Hinamori. The characters that comprised her first name had the meaning of 'peach blossom', but many just called her Momo. To this day she did not know why, yet it did have a pleasant ring to it.

Living with her grandmother, father and mother, she came from a family of four. They lived in a small village called Qingtian, not far at all from Chang'an. The size of their house was a little larger than the average, but their garden was absolutely massive. There were several other dwellings located within the Eastern complex, and aside from the complex divisions and village enclosure, there was no need for other barricades. Every citizen in Qingtian were acquaintances at the very least. It was close-knit and friendly community.

At the moment, Momo was training, clad very casually in clothes that had turned comfortable after many years of use. In her hand she held a long wooden stick. It bore numerous dents and scratches; a testimony to how long she practised with it.

"Hi-ya!"

With her cry she swung her stick down in a strike, stopping it just before it hit the ground. Following through, she executed a slow diagonal slash to her right, then to her left. After a couple of repetitions, she was all warmed up and ready to begin her real training. She held her stick vertically in front of her and a little towards her right, and then quickly rotated it for a powerful rotational strike. Immediately, she pulled the length of the stick back, stepped forward towards her invisible enemy and attacked its ribs with a horizontal strike.

"Hi-ya! Take that! And that!"

She raised her weapon high above her head and blocked an imagined attack. After blocking to the left, she let loose a rapid stream of quick frontal jabs, designed to intimidate the opposition and put them on the defensive. As she progressed with her training she broke out into a pleasant sweat and her eyes shone bright with fire.

"Big Sister!"

Momo stopped and turned around, seeing young Fen Xue running through the slightly overgrown grass to get to her. She was six-years-old and had taken to idolizing Momo, calling her 'Big Sister' even though they were not related by blood. Her hair was put up into two neat buns, one on the right and left side of her head. They were covered by a pale pink cloth and tightened with a string of plastic peach blossoms. It was a hair style similar to Momo's, though Momo wore her hair up in a single bun wrapped in light blue.

"Fen Xue! What are you doing out here?" Momo asked kindly, bending down so she was levelled with the younger girl.

"I was going to ask you the same thing, Big Sister. I didn't think you would be out."

"Why wouldn't I be out here? You should know I come out here every morning!" Momo gently ruffled Fen Xue's hair. "You practically come out here to see me every morning as well!"

Fen Xue smiled under Momo's touch. "I know, Big Sister, but I thought you had an important place to go to today."

"Ai-ya! The matchmaker appointment! Ohh, Mama will be so mad!"

Momo shot up off the ground and ran off. A second later she came dashing back, grabbed her stick that Fen Xue held out to her and took off again.

"Good luck, Big Sister!"

*****

_**Chang'an  
**__**Bath House**_

*****

A middle-aged woman was pacing outside the local bath house. It was where one went if they wanted to be cleanly presented for some special occasion. As the workhorses, carts and people passed by, the woman became more agitated. One of the staff came out partially through the fabric flaps hanging in the doorway, allowing the built up steam to escape.

"Xing Mu, where _is_ your daughter? The matchmaker is not known for her patience."

Without waiting for an answer, she disappeared back into the steam. Xing Mu sighed and shook her head, causing her teardrop jade earrings to bob.

"Of all days for you to be late, Momo," she quietly chastised. "I should have prayed for the fourth guardian to guide her."

"Ha! What can they do? They're not even real," scoffed Qi Yuan, Momo's grandmoter on her father's side. "Now the dragon, Tao Hua could use one of them."

"Mother, how can you believe in dragons but not in the other eleven guardians of our family?"

Before Qi Yuan could properly answer, they were interrupted by the clopping of fast-paced horse hooves. A second later Momo jumped off her palomino, Jin, landing in the tight space between her mother and grandmother.

"I'm here!" she proclaimed, slightly triumphant.

"Late again, Tao Hua."

Momo winced; her mother had used her actual given name. "But, Mama, I was-"

"None of your excuses, young lady! Now get inside!"

Momo pouted and walked through the flaps. No sooner than she had taken one step inside, the worker that previously stuck her head out pounced on her. She enclosed her jewelled hand around Momo's slim wrist and pulled her behind the changing screens. Clothes flew about in the air and a second later she was pushed into the hot bath. The water was still miraculously frothy; the surface teemed with masses of orchid-scented bubbles. The worker grabbed a variety of bottles and poured their mysterious contents onto Momo's hair.

"I can wash my own hair!" Momo cried out indignantly after a particularly forceful scrub nearly sent her under.

"Momo," her mother said warningly, "do not forget what is happening today."

"Yes, Mama," Momo replied, making no effort to hide her resentful tone.

She sulked beneath the bubbles and allowed the worker to continue her relentless cleaning. Today was the day she would pay a visit to the matchmaker. With the matchmaker's approval, Momo would find herself with a suitable husband and bring honour to her family. It was, after all, a daughter's greatest duty to her parents, family and ancestors.

Honour was deemed as the most important virtue. If you didn't have it you were better off dead. For a male, honour was about courage and strength; fighting for one's own county. For a female, honour was about being refined, graceful and elegant; becoming a suitable bride. However, Momo was never really what one would consider any of those things. She tried her best, she really did, but she was too restless and too curious.

"These clothes are filthy! Momo, _what_, exactly, have you been doing?" her mother asked. With effort she attempted to shake the last dirt clods from her daughter's clothing.

"Um, I was doing…my chores?"

Her grandmother nudged her and said in a voice only she could hear, "Training with that overgrown chopstick sure is hard work, Tao Hua."

Momo grinned and winked at her grandmother. Qi Yuan only ever called Momo by the name of Tao Hua. She was as laid-back as she was elderly – and Qi Yuan had been alive for a very long time. Momo could always count on her grandmother to share her opinion. She simply didn't fret that Momo would rather fight with her stick than learn how to sew, or that she was very prone to tripping over her own two feet.

After her forceful bathing, Xing Mu led her daughter to the tailor, where she was fitted with a nice kimono-like dress called a ruqun. The first layer was the colour of an almost translucent pink. It touched the floor and settled around her like a silken pool. The thick collar and cuffs were white. Over that was a torso skirt, cut off about mid thigh. It was made from ramie cloth, and it was a rich purple colour. A thin sash was used to secure it in place and a weighted braid of jade was looped around it. Finally, a long red sash hugged her waist several times around before being tied up in a neat bow.

Walking carefully as to not soil her new clothes, Momo followed her mother carefully through the streets. Qi Yuan took the rear, leading Jin. The final stop to be made was Chang'an's beautician. There, Momo had her face painted white, her eyebrows and eyelashes in a contrasting black and her lips in vivid red.

Xing Mu removed the cloth from her daughter's head and teased out a few strands to drop gracefully towards the nape of her neck. She tucked a beautiful hair pin firmly in the space between the bun and head. It was a glass plum blossom with fine detail and craftsmanship. Several varying lengths of russet beads hung down from the flower.

"There, you're ready," Xing Mu said as she gently lifted her hands away.

"As ready as I'll ever be," Momo agreed honestly, twisting her head around to look at herself.

"Here." Qi Yuan handed Momo a fuchsia umbrella. "Now you march in that stuffy room and show that matchmaker what you're made of!" she chuckled.

"Of course, Grandma! I won't let you down."

The three walked out onto the streets and headed for the matchmaker's. As they drew closer to the building, Momo realised with a start the many people crowding up a particular street. They were the friends and family of the other girls who were appointed to meet with the matchmaker.

She was late!

Picking up the fabric of her trailing ruqun, she dashed through the crowd. She stumbled past the last few bystanders, nearly tripping over. With a sigh of relief she saw that she was not nearly as late as she imagined. She walked up behind the last girl and peered ahead to get an idea of the expected protocol. Maybe she shouldn't have skipped out on so many lessons before the final assessment…

The girls ambled down the straight pathway before fanning out in front of the grand building. They knelt down and opened out their umbrellas in front of them. Almost immediately, the matchmaker pushed her doors open, looming over the girls like a portly hawk.

"Tao Hua Hinamori."

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_As always, thank you for reading through another chapter. Tell me what you think, where I can improve, what you liked/disliked, point out typos -and on and on- If you have any questions, even totally unrelated ones, I'll be happy to answer them (as long as they're within reason - however, random is FUN!)_


	3. Teatime Disaster

_*** **Anonymous reviewer: _Fanda-Panda - _Thank you for sticking with this story. I assure you that there will be little to no more made up Chinese names from here on out - the names will be ones you'll recognise from Bleach. Thanks for pointing out that typo (yes, you were right about that) - fixed it all up. _

_*** **As always, a huge thank you to my beta, _PaperWishes.

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**Chapter 2 – Teatime Disaster**

*****

_**Chang'an  
**__**Matchmaker Building**_

*****

"I'm here!" Momo threw her arms out, delighted that she was punctual. For once.

The matchmaker narrowed her eyes in disapproval. She was a pudgy woman, always over-dressed. Her face was caked in designer cosmetics, not that they did her any good. How this woman had become Chang'an's finest matchmaker was beyond Momo's comprehension.

"Using commonplace language towards her elders?"

It was more like a statement rather than a question, and a rather condescending one, at that. Momo could feel embarrassment surfacing on her skin. It was a struggle to keep her head high, but she would not be discouraged. Not today.

Ink was put to paper. Judging by the woman's self-mutterings, whatever just written was not good. With a flick of her heavily jewelled hand, she motioned for Momo to come inside.

Like the final gong, the doors closed shut. Momo was left standing in nervous isolation. The room was dim, light emanating only from red lanterns. Soft fragrances of lavender and camellia, ones that so often soothed her, failed in their endeavour. Instead, she had to hold back a retch. Gagging never sounded so loud.

"What are you doing? On with it, I don't have all day," the matchmaker snapped.

"Y-yes, of course!" Momo said, straining out an awkward smile. _'Isn't this just a fantastic way to start!'_

She attempted to still her trembling fingers and kneeled down. Waiting for her on the table were the essentials for tea-brewing: a kettle, dried leaves and fine china cups. Her heart stopped. She stared down at the laden table with a gaping mouth. The fine art of brewing tea was a knowledge every prospective bride should possess.

Should.

However, she wasn't completely incompetent. Somewhere between her first lesson and her current, unfavourable, situation she did study. Once. Maybe twice. Three times if she wanted to stretch her optimism. And everybody said the subconscious did wonders in tight situations, right?

She snapped her mouth shut, the dryness reminding her it was still hanging open. Looking like a cod would reflect poorly on her. But wouldn't it be fitting, because she certainly felt like one now. One that had been caught. The room was so stuffy.

"On with it, girl! Can you not even prepare simple tea?"

At the snapping of the matchmaker, a spark of anger ignited. Anxiety was washed away, leaving only pure determination. This was a challenge she would gladly accept. Her hands flew across the table, driven on by her resolve to succeed.

'_I'll show you! Yeah, nobody likes you anyway, Ms. I'm-so-important-I-don't-need–uh oh…'_

Momo stopped with a pinch of oolong over the teapot. It was nearly filled to the brim. Much too soon, all her anxieties came hurtling back. Hastily, she threw in the leaves, filled the pot with boiling water and slammed it shut. Heavy silence pervaded the air as the water was left to infuse.

"I've never seen a tea that uses so many leaves." She sniffed in disdain. Placing her weight on her hands, she leaned over and scrutinized the half-empty dishes with critical eyes. "This is your own recipe?"

"Y-y-yes," Momo squeaked, her pitch much too high. She cleared her throat and redeemed herself. "Yes it is, ma'am."

"Ha! You best pray to your ancestors for success. Well, get to it and pour me a cup!"

"Right away, ma'am!"

Tentatively, as if it would break at her slightest touch, Momo slid the teacup over. The tea was a rich darkish-red colour and clear as a summer lake. She sighed inwardly; at least it looked passable. She poured another cup for herself and held it as delicately as she could manage. The matchmaker lifted her own, inhaling the smell wafting from it. Then, she took a generous sip.

It was silent for a second time.

The matchmaker's eyes bulged out and her pupils dilated. Her teacup was frozen, tilted towards her pursed lips. The unswallowed tea puffed out her cheek rested indecisively in her mouth. Bit by bit, she began to move, swallowing, lowering the cup. Momo rubbed her head as she beheld the woman's strange behaviour playing out. A hopeful thought struck her. Maybe, her improvised recipe was just so unique and delightful, she had shocked the woman out of her senses

With sudden optimism, Momo picked up her cup. All nagging rules of etiquette and courtesy were banished from her mind as the tea hit her tongue. Her reaction was similar to the matchmaker's. This taste; the oolong, the chrysanthemum, the unfermented greens; it was horrible! There were too many destructive flavours.

Instinctively, Momo spat out the vile contents. And because the matchmaker was in the direct path of the trajectory…well, it wasn't a pretty sight. Momo stared wide-eyed at the tea-soaked matchmaker. Inky tears ran down her face.

"I'm – I'm so sorry!" Momo said, bowing to the point where her head smacked ungracefully against the wooden table. "I'll clean that up right away."

In her rush to correct wrongdoings, Momo jolted up. Due partially to karma and mostly to her timely clumsiness, she tripped over in the process. Her arms flailed wildly as she inevitably came crashing down upon the table. The fragile dishes flew to the side, sending tea leaves to float down to the ground, but her hand knocked the kettle of boiling water right onto the matchmaker's lap. Unlike last time, the matchmaker's reaction was immediate and loud. She jumped a literal foot off the ground and began hopping blindly around the room.

"For the love of–!" Fragments of curses interrupted her sentences, making everything nonsensical. If the situation wasn't so life-threateningly serious, Momo would've laughed. It would be no less than a miracle if she passed at this point, so she briefly considered what harm laughing could do.

Tentatively, she trailed behind the howling woman, hoping an opportunity would come. Without realising it, when the matchmaker passed by the fireplace, the clothes ignited. As the hopping, howling and justifiable cursing continued, the flames crept ever higher. Momo stopped along with her heart.

Definitely not the opportunity she had in mind.

"U-um, excuse me," she started in a weak voice, but could not continue further due to being overrode. Was it possible for ears to bleed?

Resolving to be more useful, she quickly scanned the room for something to douse the flames in. Hidden away in a corner were a few clay jars. She scurried across the room, taking care not to trip over her clothes and peered into the nearest one. It contained a clear liquid: water!

Taking care not to slosh the contents, she picked it up. Her arms shook in protest. It weighed as much as…well, she'd never held anything so heavy before! When the matchmaker came around she used all her might and threw the contents onto the matchmaker.

To her dismay, the flames did not die out; rather they flared up to enormous proportions. They licked the fabric that came in contact with skin and the matchmaker yelped with a start. Much too late, Momo realised that she had just emptied an entire jar of rice wine onto the fire. Her hands slid down her face and when she looked up again, she noticed a lonely vase on the vanity table.

Someone up there must have enjoy tormenting her.

Outside, the bystanders speculated what was occuring inside. They expected the matchmaker to come out angry, perhaps even storm through them on her way to a bar. Never did they expect her to come out engulfed in flames.

"PUT IT OUT!!" she screamed without dignity.

Instead, the crowd stepped away, looking on in fascinated horror. Momo ran out and flung every last drop of water onto the matchmaker. The flames suffocated instantly, leaving her clothes blackened and sizzling patheticallywith relief. Momo bowed in a futile attempt of salvation and shoved the vase into the woman's hands, frozen stiff from her ordeal.

Sheepishly hiding her face, Momo scurried into the safety of her mother's arms. As soon as she was enclosed, the matchmaker caught up with her, having regained her mobility. The vase was smashed at their feets.

"You are a disgrace!" she screeched, spraying Momo's mortified face. "You may look like a bride, but with the trouble you cause, what man would want you? No talent, no refinement, no place in society! You are nothing but a pretty face!"

*****

_**Qingtian  
**__**House of the Hinamori Family**_

*****

Her pale, trembling hands grazed the wooden gates. Momo gazed at her fingers, wishing she could melt into the wood, never to be seen again. Heaving a sigh that racked her heart, she waited for it to flutter away before opening the gates, just enough to slip in unnoticed. When she looked up, she found she was not even granted that. Her father smiled warmly at her.

A sob burst through her lips and she stumbled onto the nearest escape route, wanting nothing but to tend to her sorrows alone. Her vision became blurred from unshed tears and blood dotted her lips in an agonising effort to keep them there. She told herself not to cry, never to cry.

She didn't cry, not even when she walked away from the matchmaker's, surrounded by whispers, some meant to be heard. She didn't cry, not even on the way home, where it felt like ten years instead of ten minutes. But then her father – his proud smile for a daughter who didn't deserve it – that was something she could not throw herself into denial with.

As she passed under the stone archway, she slid her hair ornament out and undid her hair. Long tresses of black covered her face as she crossed the quaint bridge. Her feet came to a halt, and she bent over to look into the reflective waters. They showed…a pretty face.

'_This isn't me. This was never me.' _Using the ample fabric of her sleeve, Momo wiped away her make-up until her face was bare. She let her arm with its soiled sleeve drop to her side as she peered into the waters again. _'_This_ is me, and I'm not even a pretty face.'_

"_You are nothing but a pretty face!"_

She smiled bitterly. _'So I'm a nothing then?'_

A lone tear dropped into the small stream, disrupting the still surface with a series of small ripples. The sound of the drop resonated through the air, sending Momo into a temporary trance. The water rolled outwards in echoing circles, distorting her face. She saw herself, living each day enduring the ridicule, the disappointment, and subjecting her family to what should be hers alone–

"No!" she screamed, on the verge of hysteria. She turned away, fleeing from her pitiful reflection.

'_Please, Momo, get something right! Anything right! Don't be worthless. Don't be worthless…don't…be…'_

Eventually, her wandering feet lead her under the peach tree, where she sat herself upon the small stone bench. She looked wistfully between the naked branches. The few blossoms that had managed to bloom were already wilting, even though autumn was barely upon them. It was painful to look at, but she felt a connection with this tree.

In all the years she could remember, this tree was never in full bloom. Her parents told her of times when this very tree came alive with pinks and whites, petals dancing in the winds and lasting well into the weeks of autumn. Somehow, she felt the tree was sympathising with her, vowing only to blossom when she did. It was a bittersweet sentiment.

As Momo casted her thoughts away, she felt someone's presence next to her own. Her eyes flicked to the side and met with her father. Heavy shame filled her and she looked away, unable and unwilling to meet his eyes. Her father tilted his head up towards the sky.

"Ah, it seems the tree has done better than last year. Look how many blossoms there are."

"I'm sorry father," Momo murmured to near inaudibility. "I'll never grow, just like how this tree hasn't."

"But this tree is growing. Look." Her father bent down to pick up a fallen, but fully intact blossom off the ground. "This flower is still whole and healthy. Last year every flower was separated, their petals scattered and torn. However, this tree had not resigned itself to stop yet. You have heard the ancient saying: "'A magnolia takes three years to blossom, a lilac takes five–'"

"'But a dumb peach takes seventeen,'" finished Momo.

"Everything will grow eventually. That is the meaning of our saying, and that is how life conducts itself."

Long Fei gently plucked Momo's hair ornament out from her hands and tucked it into her hair. "And when years of so much love and effort are put into something, even the trees are certain that when it does blossom, it will surely be the most wonderful and beautiful flower."

Momo threw her arms around her father's neck. "Thank you, father."

The sound of a horn sliced through the air, interrupting their embrace. Both Momo and Long Fei looked in the direction from where the noise occurred. Beyond the roofs they could see a host of golden flags emblazoned with red dragons, flapping in the winds. Imperial envoys were here and that meant only one thing:

War.

* * *

_**!! Concerning Updates !! **- The school year has begun once again, and I'm in my final stage of schooling. I''m four days into it and am already swamped with work and pressure to study. Add in my job (and possible times of pure laziness) and time becomes a luxury. I will try my best to edit future chapters within a reasonable amount of time, but most likely updates will be slowed (hopefully not dramatically). However, if I've not posted an update for a while, I'll just skip the beta stage and post up the next chapter. I hope that you readers will stick with me though!_

_*** **Unsurprisingly, a few of you asked when Toshiro will come in. Well, not for another few chapters, I'm afraid. But don't worry, he'll show up. Also, I feel I have to warn you that there will be a lag in hitsuhina (though it will pick up later on)._

_*** **Thank you for reading. Tell me your thoughts._


	4. Late Blossom

*** **_Anonymous reviewers:_

Fanda-Panda: _Thank you very much. I am very happy that you've come to like this story so far; and I hope that I'll be able to continue making it enjoyable. Slowly, but I think my writing's improving, but you can be the judge of that!_

Jack: _No, I understand what you're saying. I've tried to include slight differences in the first few chapters, but it doesn't really deviate from the Disney version, I know. However, this story will be taking off in its own direction very soon (Chapter 5-ish, if I remember correctly) - from there on there's really nothing similar. And it might not mean much now, but there is a major change at the end of this chapter. Usually, I don't stick to the original like so, but, well, a slow start with this one, I suppose :]_

_*** **Rest assured that this will not be a carbon copy of Disney's Mulan_

_*** **As always, thank you _PaperWishes _for taking precious time to beta for me (-laugh- and I didn't think you were patronising at all. I actually cringed when I read what I initially wrote for this chapter; it's why I scrapped it all!)_

****

* * *

Chapter 3 – Late Blossom

*****

_**Qingtian  
**__**House of the Hinamori Family**_

*****

"Momo, stay here," said her father before his lips settled into a straight line.

The way he limped across the courtyard towards the golden flags, to Momo, was equivalent to walking towards his death. He had served valiantly in the previous war – the war that had earned him the title of honourable Long Fei – but was that not enough? Was China's army so insufficient that they saw it fit to send an elderly man, debilitated, to war?

Fearing the worst, Momo clambered up onto the rooftops, tiles warmed from the afternoon sun. Her hands grasped the weathered beam as she saw the villagers forming a ring around three imperial stallions. Combined with their uneasy murmurs, the scene became as ominous as rolling thunder.

"People of Qingtian, I bring news from the Imperial City. The Chaos are invading China!" A collective gasp forced Chojiro to pause, but not for long. After all, he was here to carry out direct orders. "By order of the emperor, one man from each family must join the army."

One by one, family names were called out. Momo pushed herself further over, holding her breath, digging her nails into the wood. Victory or defeat, her father had no chance of returning alive. Her family would lose – so they couldn't possibly be thinking…they wouldn't dare–

"The Hinamori family!"

'_No!'_

The sensation of falling back did not reach her until she became a heap on the ground. Her eyes crinkled with pain, but she gritted her teeth as she ran towards the gates. She pushed her way through the masses, and emerged just in time to see a conscription notice being extended to her father.

"You can't!" Momo pushed her way between them, unintentionally knocking the imperial's hand askew. "My father has already served China once! Why should he have to risk his life again?"

Alarmed by her outburst, Chojiro's stallion reared back, nearly throwing him off. By the time he managed to coax the horse back down, his face was contorted with rage.

"Silence! How dare you question the emperor's orders! Of one with such lowly status, consider yourself fortunate that we do throw you in prison!"

"How–"

Her blooming tirade was clipped as she was pushed roughly aside. So roughly, in fact, that she nearly fell to the ground. And not a word escaped her, because it was her father's stern hands who cast her aside. Her eyes were glued to the ground below; she watched, agonized, as the shadow of her father's arm accepted death.

"Do not shame me further, Tao Hua."

Again, she was stripped of all feeling. Retreating into the upheaval of her thoughts, she could not even recall someone gently leading her back into the house, muttering a string of soft words that failed to reach her ears.

*****

Low rumblings of thunder, claps of lightning, lashing whips of wind and rain; a thunderstorm raged outside, but its cacophony failed to pierce the silence that pervaded inside the trembling house. Ordinary noises – chopsticks tapping against one another, bowls scraping ever so slightly upon the table – sounded loud and alien. She couldn't take it anymore.

"Father, you shouldn't have to go to war again! You could die!"

Eyes directed at his rice, words directed at her, "This is not a matter of life or death, Tao Hua, but of honour."

"Honour? _Honour?_" Her fist jarred the wooden table. "You're willing to die for the sake of your _honour?_"

"I am willing to risk my life doing what I believe is right."

"But what about us? Are you just going to leave us all behind!"

"It was the Emperor's will. One man from each family; and even you cannot argue which one of us here must go."

Momo stood up, leaving the room without a word. Her father's words broke the uneasy silence she now wished she had. _Of course _it was her father who had to go, seeing as how she was born a female. Clumsy, graceless Momo who was her family's burden.

She pressed her back up against her bedroom wall, chin resting upon knees, and on the verge of crying. But she didn't have the energy to simply let the tears fall, or the humility.

The storm, still raging, coincided with the state of her mind. From the very beginning she knew that every word her father spoke was the truth, while every word she spoke were desperate and futile attempts to stop the inevitable. She was born and raised in China, perpetually surrounded by the steadfast traditions and beliefs of her culture. If she ever received a chance, she too, would gladly die for honour.

Momo grasped the idea in its entirety, but she did not want to be fatherless tomorrow.

She considered going in her father's place – running away, disguising herself as a man, the estranged son of the Hinamori family. Two birds with one stone! Her father would live, and she would prove herself.

But that was far worse than having her father engage in battle. Running away from home, incurring treason – a girl in the army? Unheard of! The honour of the Hinamori family would be utterly shattered, especially her father's. No parent asks their children to fight for them.

Sometimes honour was just so frustrating!

You had to honour your actions, your decisions and choices, your victories…

And your losses.

*****

"Father!"

Long Fei, poised to wrap the sheets around his body, stopped and looked to the doorway where his daughter was standing, hand on the frame, huffing as if her room were miles away. His eyes followed her other arm, all the way down to the battered stick. Confused, he opened his mouth, but Momo spoke first.

"I challenge you to a fight. The victor joins the army, the loser remains here."

"What are you saying, Momo? Don't be unreasonable!"

Xing Mu shifted the sheets, perhaps to go and shake some sense into her daughter, but was stopped by Long Fei. The gentle yet firm hand on her shoulder made Xing Mu concede. She fell back onto the bed, looking only at the fabric strained in her hands.

"You have gone too far this time. The mere suggestion is unthinkable. Now, go back to bed. We shall discuss your rudeness tomorrow."

"When, tomorrow? When you're riding off to your death?" Momo said, voice as sharp and hard as ice. "If I win this challenge, then you can stay here without fault."

"Do you _honestly _think that is my concern, Tao Hua?" With an air of fury, he threw back the sheets and loomed over his daughter. "You are a female. You would be killed, even before you set foot in the camp! While my chances of survival are small, yours are nonexistent."

Momo retaliated, thrusting her chin into his chest and boring defiance into his eyes. "Not if they don't see me as a female."

"Out of the question!"

Her father turned around, intent on having the final word. Momo didn't let him.

"If you're set on going to war, then you should have no problems beating me!"

"You _will _stay here."

"Because I'm not going to move until you agree!"

"Do not make me choose between my life and yours!"

"_My life?" _

When the next clap of lightening was all anybody could hear, Long Fei slowly turned around. A small sense of trepidation pierced through his anger. Another flash of lightening illuminated the entire room, casting a heavy shadow over Momo's eyes, who had her head bowed down and her hands curled tight.

"Really, father…" Something glistened. A tear? "Do you even think…that I…that I…that I even have a life here which I can be proud of? Which you can be proud of? Honestly, honestly…"

She rubbed her eyes – the subtlest gesture she could manage – leaving behind a raw, tingling sensation. Her father held out a concerned hand, but did not move any closer.

"M–"

"No, I don't. But maybe if I went, I could save myself whatever dignity I have left…_by saving you._"

'_I have nothing to lose, not even in the face of death, so please…please…'_

"According to your terms, if I am the victor, you are to stay here. What then, will you do with this life of yours?"

"I'll just have to win."

Her father breathed a weary sigh of defeat. "So be it. However, I will not be going easy on you."

*****

The ground was soft, dampened from the recent rainfall. Though the storm had ended, low and weak rumbles of thunder remained, trying to scare like small puppies. Back and forth, branches were tugged by mischievous winds, content to sway in the late of the night.

Ten feet apart, Momo and her father readied their stances, each sizing up the opposing force. This was life-and-death – each feared the other would not come back from war. The lions slowly began to circle. Winning was everything.

'_Be strong, Momo.'_

A cry pierced the night. Clouds parted and dim moonlight revealed wood and steal locked together, their wielders face-to-face. _'Just a warm up'_ – the thought was mutual as both moved back, calculating second strikes. Long Fei forced his daughter into defensiveness.

"You are still too inexperienced."

"Not for this!" She planted one end into the ground, and using it as leverage, pushed her father away. "Not for this," she repeated.

Constant clashes became the thunder of the night. The steel glided through the air, and the wood rose up to meet it in a loud collision. There was no noise after. The sword was lodged. They struggled for dominance, yet a difference of power was beginning to surface.

Her father was experienced, yes, but his aged body could not hope to keep up with it. Stamina had become more and more precious with age; it was becoming clearer. He was forced to defend, and as the blows came slowly enough that he could react, he realised that he was not the one who was going easy on his opponent.

It happened in an instant.

One step back was all it took for his left leg – a useless length of skin and bone – to crumple beneath him, sending him sprawling into the mud. His sword flew free. There was a sound – he'd mistaken it for the wind, because as he drew his head up, he found the tip of his sword upon his neck.

And the faintest of smirks tugging upon Momo's lips.

"Dead."

* * *

*** **_About a week overdue, but what's life without...laziness -laugh- Thank you for reading!_


	5. The Lucky Dragon

_*** Panda-Fanda: **Of course, thank you as always for reviewing! Of course I value your opinions and thoughts. They're the very things that help me to improve (hopefully!). And I apologise - I think I misspelt your penname in previous chapters. I hope you aren't offended. And, well, story-wise, you'll get to see Momo in action soon :)_

_*** Lateness Note: **Terribly late, I know and I apologise! I can sum up my lateness into three things: 1) School 2) Time-Constraints AKA laziness 3) My trip to New Caledonia! (for 8 days) I think the last one has decent justifications!_

_***Chapter Note: **This chapter has not been beta-ed because I feel terrible about updating after such a long time. However, it shouldn't be too hard to read -laugh- Still, I have to thank _PaperWishes _for choosing to be my beta, and I promise I'll read your update soon!_

****

* * *

Chapter 4 – The Lucky Dragon

*****

_**Qingtian  
**__**House of the Hinamori Family**_

*****

Dawn was coming; she had to hurry. Momo silently crept around a corner, amazed at how easily everyone fell asleep after their midnight bout. _'Maybe my going off to war's too much for them. Forgive me, father, mother, grandmother…but I'm going to do this.'_

While her resolve sounded firm and unwavering in her mind, she knew that a single, whispering plea, begging her to stay, would have it crumbling down in an instant. It was the reason to her furtive movements so early in the morning. Her family planned to see her off at seven.

She had other plans.

The wooden stable door swung effortlessly and silently open. She rubbed a hand behind Jin's ear, causing him to wake, like always. He shook off the remaining vestiges of sleep and allowed himself to be saddled down with two hefty bags. Her fingers were trembling as she secured the straps; she ran a hand over Jin's muzzle, to comfort herself as much as him.

"Stay here for a minute, alright?" She received a wet cheek in reply.

Time was becoming precious – the horizon was starting to glow – but Momo wanted to savour her last minutes of home. Like a sprite, she wandered around the buildings, through the trees, randomly touching, feeling…memorising.

Before the sun could crown the horizon, Momo climbed up the ancient stone steps, up into her family shrine. There, she was greeted by the vast collection of immaculate tombstones. Her reflection was thrown back to her from every angle.

No longer long and silky, her hair was cut and pulled back into a topknot. She had donned her father's clothes: lightweight, durable and perfect for travelling. For a moment, she lost herself, leaning in to figure out who her reflection was. But then she smiled pensively, knelt down and prayed.

"Ancestors, I, who am a female, will be taking my father's place in the coming war. I apologise for bringing shame to our family, but I hope that you will see it fit to send a guardian to guide me on my way. My doing this…is for my father's sake."

An offering of incense was lighted, and soon the small temple was infused with the scent of pink lotuses. Feeling determined once more, she mounted Jin and guided him out the front gates, all the while running a hand over the smooth hilt of her sword – once her father's – for good fortune.

*****

_**House of the Hinamori family  
**__**Family Shrine**_

*****

A delicate set of chimes sang in an invisible wind. After a series of three, clear choruses, they became still. The engravings on the largest tombstone lit up in a spectacular display of pale blue light. A bright burst of light pierced the tiny temple, fading away to reveal a ghostly-blue spirit – the head ancestor. Two prim hands evened out the wrinkles gathered in his clothes as he alighted on the head of his gravestone.

He cast his eyes around the small and empty temple, and with an air of imperturbability, swept his hand up. Dwelling near the rafters of the pagoda roof – largely unnoticed – twelve statues began to quiver, reacting to the ancestor's simple movement.

"Ayasegawa." His voice echoed, ringing throughout the room. "Zaraki, Fon, Kusajishi, Kuchiki, Kurotsuchi, Shihoin, Unohana, Urahara, Ise, Matsumoto, Kyoraku – arise."

Unlike the blinding show of lights and flashes the head ancestor manifested himself in, this time there was a succession of distinct _poofs. _Twelve clouds of differently coloured smoke appeared; and from each one shot a small creature. They descended down to float leisurely, just above the ancestor's head.

"Byakushi! Are we going to play a game?" Yachiru giggled before dashing around the room like a rogue firework, her floppy ears trailing behind. "Let's have a race! A race! A race!"

"I'd rather not. I always come last," Kyoraku replied. With a sweeping gesture, a small tea cup suddenly appeared in his hands. He took a sip and released a long, content sigh. "Nothing like a lovely cup of Shaoxing to perk up one's spirit in the morn–ACK!"

Half-empty, the cup dropped from his hands. Before it came close to smashing upon the ground, it disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Kyoraku was doubled over, tears running down his face – partly because of his loss, partly because of the recent blow to the head he'd received. He turned and grabbed the hem of his assailant.

"Dear, sweet Nanao! Why would you do such a thing?!" he snivelled.

"You should know better than to _drown _yourself in alcohol, considering what happened the _last time _we were summoned," she answered tartly, turning side-on and adjusting her glasses to sit more firmly on the bridge of her nose.

"Calm down, Ise. It's morning – don't get all your feathers in a ruffle."

"I keep myself groomed, thank you very much, unlike a certain tree-hugging, flea-infested monkey, Urahara." She turned away from the lounging spirit, her nose held up disdainfully in the air.

"Don't give it another thought, Kisuke."

Urahara gasped dramatically, clasping his hands together and looking towards Yumichika with large, sparking eyes. "You would defend me, Yumichika? I'm overflowing with joy!"

"Of course. Not everyone is blessed with divine beauty like me. You have nothing to be ashamed of." Completely oblivious to Urahara's soul floating away from his body, he returned his attention back to any pesky split-ends on his sleek grey tail.

"Why in the world are we just standing here gabbing our mouths off?! I say we fight!"

"That's all you ever say," spat Soi Fon. "Is your brain so small that it cannot even form another coherent sentence?"

"Who's the one who beat you in the race? Yeah, that's right! Me, Kenpachi Zaraki!"

"At least I didn't let some lazy _rat _ride me to the very end and claim victory from under my nose."

"Wanna say that again?"

"Why? Are you deaf as well?"

Soi Fon and Kenpachi began circling each other, fists clenched, eyes hardened. Kyoraku, Urahara, Matsumoto, Yachiru and Yoruichi were egging them on, pumping their fists into the air, yelling "Fight, fight, fight!" Sounds escalated into a deafening tumult.

Soi Fon leapt up with a snarl, claws extending, aiming for the jugular. Kenpachi shifted his weight onto his knees, poised to meet her mid-air. He sprang up, an untamed grin on his face as he eyed her exposed abdomen.

"ENOUGH!"

Kenpachi and Soi Fon stopped mid-action. They blinked once, and then dropped down like stones. Byakuya rubbed a hand on his brow, head casted down and muttering something along the lines of "What did I do to deserve this?"

Lifting himself from an uncharacteristic moment of exasperation, he cleared his throat and cast his steely gaze upon the twelve animals of the zodiac. When it appeared that they would not even breathe a word, he began to address his reason for their summons.

"As you are all aware of, your presence in the material world can only mean one thing: the Hinamori bloodline is in grave danger. Tao Hua Hinamori, daughter of honourable Long Fei Hinamori, and the last of the Hinamori family, has gone to war."

"Treachery! What is this madness? How dare she bring shame upon this family!" Soi Fon exclaimed vehemently, her hairs bristling. The other members gave her a wide berth, knowing full well the dangers of angering the Tiger.

"Calm yourself, Soi Fon. We have not yet heard the full story. No child would willingly flout their filial duty without good reason, and this is Tao Hua we are talking about," responded Unohana in a gentle but firm voice.

Knowing that her argument was just, Soi Fon relaxed her posture. However, she did not fancy the idea of being influenced so easily, and muttered a quick "Devil's advocate" before shuffling away.

"I thank you for adverting unnecessary conflict, Unohana. Tao Hua is going in her father's steed. Whether it is a just reason for bringing shame upon the Hinamori family matters not. She is the last able member to uphold the bloodline. She must be protected, _at all costs._"

Byakuya paused, taking in an extremely drawn out breath. Obviously, he was going to regret his next words. The guardians leaned forward, scarcely concealing their bated breath.

"She needs a guardian; _one _guardian. The guardian stone is the moonstone, to be encrusted upon the brow. As you are all aware no doubt, this is a matter settled among the twelve guardians. _Do not _make a scene–"

He'd barely been able to finish off that last sentence. The temple shook. Byakuya averted his eyes away from the scuffle that has broken out in mere seconds. Guardian upon guardian, kicking, biting and pulling hair in a clamorous free-for-all.

"I'm going to be her guardian!"

"No way! You couldn't guard a bowl of rice!"

"She needs a guardian that is intelligent, witty and incredibly charming! Why, that would be me!"

"OW! Stop pulling my tail!"

"I'll kill you!"

"We're all _dead _if you hadn't noticed!"

"Suff…ffo…cating…"

How with every fibre of his ectoplasmic being did Byakuya wish he could sink back into his tombstone. He could not, of course, for he had to see which guardian was chosen. He noticed – with a hint of relish at the bruises and tousled hair – that the guardians managed to assemble themselves in an orderly fashion.

It seemed that they decided upon settling matters in the traditional way – as they have been since the beginning of time. Why they always fought first remained unanswered.

"One, two, three, GO!"

Twelve guardians disappeared, leaving behind twelve little dust clouds in their wake. Even in the middle of their race, they were creating a ruckus. Five times they ran around the perimeters of the Hinamori household, with every one of them having a turn in the lead.

Finally, Byakuya thought with relief, they were on their last leg – a straight sprint to the temple. The sight of the worn red pagoda roof must have supplied the guardians with a burst of energy, for now they were more vicious than ever.

Mayuri slithered past them all, sweeping his heavy tail across. Nanao, Retsu, Yumichika and Matsumoto toppled over one another while the rest missed the impact by a hair's breadth.

He snickered. "Idiotic fools," he said, all too soon because the next sound to come from him was a cry of pain.

Matsumoto had untangled herself and extracted her sweet revenge by sinking her ivory canines into Mayuri's fleshy tail. Withdrawing her teeth, she also took the liberty of running across the length of his body, making sure to jump and land heavily upon his head.

"Must be talking about yourself then, fool–ACK!"

Matsumoto felt herself being lifted up into the air to be unceremoniously tossed to the side. When she regained her bearings and the pain in her back was reduced to a dull throb, she yelled.

"I thought you were the nice one, Retsu! Your freaking horns really hurt!"

They were nearing the temple. Kenpachi tossed Unohana over his shoulder while Urahara overtook the both of them. He was then flattened under the hooves of Yoruichi, who was then batted away by Kyoraku. Yumichika was hanging for dear life on his slim pink tail. When Kyoraku tossed him off, he was dragged along. Both of them collided into Soi Fon. Yachiru took the lead.

"Yay! I'm gonna win! Yachiru's gonna win!"

Just as Yachiru was about to enter the temple, a burst of smoke appeared above her. A shower of rainbow-coloured sweets rained down, immediately and effectively stopping her. The conjurer breezed past, leaping and landing with legs pressed together and arms spread out triumphantly.

"Buwahaha! Victory is mine!" proclaimed Rukia with an air of haughty satisfaction. She turned and smirked at the eleven other guardians. "Better luck next time. The guardian stone belongs to me!"

"Rukia!"

She winced, her feathery tail instinctively whipping up to cover her face. Meekly, she peeked over and up towards Byakuya.

"Yes, head ancestor, sir?"

"Your task is to find and guard Tao Hua Hinamori, sole daughter of the Hinamori bloodline. She must not be slain in the upcoming war, regardless of consequences. The sard will yours after your successful return. _Do not fail_. Are we clear?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Very well, you are all dismissed."

Wasting no time, Byakuya sunk back into his tombstone. One by one the other guardians retreated back into their statues.

"Don't accidently kill your charge, Kuchiki!"

"I'm not like a certain guardian I know of who nearly made honourable Jiang Hi fall to his doom, Kenpachi!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever."

"Nothing to say to defend yourself, eh? As expected when up against the mighty Rukia!" She pushed off against the ground and shot out of the nearest window. "See you next time, when I have that beautiful stone in my hands!"

The other guardian watched as her figure quickly became a pinpoint in the distance.

"Uh, you know, I think she went the wrong way."

"You know what, I think you're right."

"Well, nothing we can do about it! So, any bets on how long she'll last?"

* * *

_*** Just for fun: **If you think you know which characters are which animal from the Chinese zodiac, send me a PM (or you anonymous readers can just write it on a review)! It'll be really fun to see what guesses you guys make, though it's probably very obvious, no? :)_


	6. Note to Readers

_**To whom this may concern (I've always wanted to write that!):**_

Sorry to anyone who thought this was an update.

I am terribly sorry for my long absence from FanFiction. Life – it gets in the way like that. And end of year exams…those too. In any case I'll be coming back (for a little more info concerning this matter – and I stress little – have a look on my profile page).

Getting to the point of this…I'm quite embarrassed at this story. The story line, my writing at that time...I'm cringing right now, but perhaps this is all just a result of my messed-up way of thinking (haha).

Okay, so decision time.

I've already written out the entire story. It was all done even before I posted the first chapter because I liked feeling that sense of assurance back then (AKA before I became dead on FF). So readers, there are two choices:

**1)** Don't continue with this story

**2)** Continue – and with this, I'll only be checking through my story for grammatical errors and such. So be warned! There could be some cringe-worthy scenes! But this means an update oh-let's-say every 1-3 days or so.

You can have your say with the poll on my profile page! Go ahead, be honest – anonymity's a great thing :)

And one last thing: I am happy to say that I will be writing another Mulan-inspired story during my summer vacations! Plot line is very different, and will be written with my self-assessed improved writing. So even if this story doesn't continue, the story of Mulan still lives!

Many thanks to those who have kept up with this story so far! You are all wonderful readers!

_**XO SPT**_ (Note: I will not be on again until the 25th, by which then I'll start on the mountainous task of reviewing, replying and other various things I'm sure I have to do)

Also, I apologise to _PaperWishes_ for disappearing when she kindly offered to beta this story for me; I appreciate all the help you've given me, so thank you, _PaperWishes_, as well.


	7. Fateful Meetings

Panda-Fanda: Thank you for reviewing! I believe I owe you some answers which are long overdue: 1) Yes, I did make up the name of Momo's horse, Jin. I believe Mulan's horse was called Khan, if I remember correctly. 2) Byakuya is not an animal. He would be the equivalent of God, and he looks as he does in the anime/manga, minus the legs. 3) Yumichika was mentioned in the summon; I just used his last name, Ayasegawa.  
Thank you for pointing out that mistake! I'll be sure to fix it. And congratulations, you were correct in guessing who was who in the zodiac!

....: Well, as you can see, I've put this off hiatus! Thank you for the review. You'll find out which animal Rukia is in this chapter.

* * *

**Chapter 5 – Fateful Meetings**

*****

_**House of the Hinamori Family  
**__**Statue of the Great Stone Dragon**_

*****

"Kaien! Kaien! Wake up!"

Rukia rapped her knuckles against the snout of a large dragon statue sitting at the foot of the temple stairs. She settled upon the tip of the snout to wait for him to appear. Moments later, unlike the extravagant explosions of coloured smoke the other guardians appeared in, Kaien simply floated out from his statue.

"What's going on, Rukia?" he said while rubbing sleep from his eyes. "I was having a good nap."

"For the past twenty years!"

"Sleep is life's greatest comfort. Such is as Confucius said."

"He did not, you lying goof!"

Kaien dodged Rukia's punch and sat down next to her, shoving her a little to the side.

"Alright then, so what do I owe the pleasure to?"

"You'll never believe what happened!" And without waiting for a reply, Rukia launched into her excited tale. "I won the race! I'm the guardian this time! I'll finally get a guardian stone back!"

"Really? That's great to hear, Rukia!" Kaien exclaimed, a wide smile forming on his face. "See? I told you that one day you'd get your chance, so go get them!"

"Yeah," she agreed. "And soon I'll be able to become human, just like the cat. Though I'll never understand why you chose to remain like this."

"Hey, being human is overrated anyway," he replied, shrugging his shoulders. "You age."

*****

_**China  
**__**Northern Plains**_

*****

"Let's see."

Dragging out her E until her breath ran short, Momo looked at the tiny map this way and that. Rather small and cramped, it proved difficult to read even with her 20/20 eyesight. There were two camps: one for the veterans, and another for the new recruits. They were fairly close, not that it mattered since Momo was currently lost.

"Jin, what do you think?" she asked in a final, dashing hope for an answer. "Do you think we should head north or north-west? Or maybe…" Momo turned the map the other way. Whether it was upside down or right side up was an entirely different question. "Is there supposed to be a river next to us?"

Jin had long stopped moving. The reins were slack and his owner was not pressed against his mane. She was deciding, it seemed, and he bent over to graze upon the grass. This could take a while.

"If this keeps up, I'll be here all winter!" Momo groaned, slumping forwards to rest listlessly against Jin's warm neck. "Just because I'm disguised as a male doesn't mean you have to take away my map-reading prowess," she muttered, "you" being some form of higher-life she now resented.

Another glance at the map and she was suddenly struck with an impression that it was mocking her. Her eyes furrowed as she straightened up, glaring at it as if it did her some great offense. "Heh, who needs you anyway? I'll show you," – she shoved the paper into her pocket – "C'mon, Jin, let's go!"

The mountains and trees fringing the horizon blurred into nothingness as Momo eagerly led Jin tearing into the plains. Impulse, adrenalin and all forms of natural instinct became her driving force, but soon the sun had set, and she found herself skirting a nameless forest without even an inkling on her bearings.

"Well now…this isn't good, is it, Jin? Not good at all…"

A strong gust of wind flew past, making all manners of goose bumps rise. One after another, wind from every which way blew and battled against each other, causing Momo to add the sound of chattering teeth to the tumult.

"It just better be warmer in the forest!"

One flick of the reins and Momo found her chattering replaced by relief, only for it to turn into unease. The forest formed a maze of spiralling trunks, shrubs and branches. The ground was rutted unevenly, like sand dunes only much more pronounced and not as easy to kick through. Unable to proceed further on horseback, Momo gingerly slid down and began leading Jin into the forest.

"C'mon, Jin, it's not that high at all. C'mon…steady…steady…good boy," she was forced to coax when they crossed paths with a fallen pine. "Only a little further…I hope."

And she was fortunate. They found groove formed by two trees, twisted around each other in an eternal wrestle for dominance. Here and there, branches melded together and fortified the walls of the groove. Once inside, the temperature change was eminent, to the point where Momo sighed with relief. Granted, it was still cold, but at least the wind was blocked.

"Beats being blown away to who knows where…But if I was lucky, it would've blown me straight to the camp! Oh well."

From one of the saddlebags, Momo took out a simple cotton blanket, which she draped around Jin. He licked her face in thanks and gratitude. "Very lovely, Jin," she laughed as she crawled into the bubble of warmth between him and the blanket.

*****

Shafts of sunlight fell through the foliage, blotching the ground on which Momo slept. It felt pleasantly warm and reminded Momo of the same warmth that came through her bedroom window. Completely forgetting where she was, she mumbled unintelligently and rolled over into the blanket.

Winds picked up, causing a branch dangling by mere splinters to fall. Momo dug deeper into the blankets. "Five more minutes, Mama," she called, tricking herself into hearing the soft pattering of her mother walking away. After breakfast, she would have to go to the local markets…

"WHAT THE HELL!"

"Aie!" Momo sprung up and pulled the blanket off her head. She looked around frantically, trying to locate the source of the unfamiliar voice. That wasn't her mother!

Heart palpitating, Momo looked around her, disorientated by the sight of lichen covered bark and the smell of the woodsy earth. Events from the previous day came back to her, and for the briefest of moments she cursed her decision to leave home and the all creature comforts it offered.

"I'm sure you didn't teach yourself how to talk overnight, Jin," she said whilst moving towards the opening on all fours.

Placing her fingertips just over the edge, Momo hoisted her eyes just enough to see without being seen. It seemed normal enough, the forest with its grand trees stretching towards the sky, leaves swaying gently in the morning current. And yet, who could mistake a yell quite like that, in a semi-torpid state or not?

"I didn't imagine it!" Momo hotly told herself and she stuck her head out to actively look around.

"How can one person be so hard to find?!"

"Aha!" Momo exclaimed with delight, turning her head towards the direction of the mysterious voice. "I found it…woah!"

As quickly as she had cried out, Momo was once again hidden inside the shelter, back pressed primly against the bark. She rubbed her eyes, daring her eyes to show her that implausible sight once more.

'_I did NOT just see that! There's no way that she…that IT…' _Momo rubbed her temples, telling herself that she did not get enough sleep. As if nine hours was enough anyway! _'You must be imagining things, again. Just get up, go out there and laugh at yourself for being so stupid.'_

"Yeah!" Nodding in agreement with her inner voice, Momo rose, ready to walk straight into that adjacent clearing where she definitely did not see a–

"What do you think you're doing, hiding between trees like that?! Do you know how long it took me to find you?!" shouted the speaker from before, right into her face.

Momo blinked, staring dumbfounded at her. Oh, it was a her all right. Her bob of black hair gained a lovely sheen from the morning sun, while her violet eyes were large and round. Even her lashes were well defined, gracefully sloping upwards in gentle curves. The garment she wore – a silky ruqun – was dyed with earthy tones: pine green and browns, with a sprinkling of golden yellow. The sash defined her waist, tied tightly at the back, ends trailing freely.

Yes, she was a female.

Only thing was, she was three inches tall, floating in front of her face and had half the body parts of a dragon.

"I…you…floating…I need to sit down." Heavily relying on the tree's support, Momo lowered herself to the ground. The hybrid dragon settled down onto the ground and waved a tiny, scaled claw in her face.

"Hell-lo in there! Anybody home?" When she received no reply, she crossed her arms sulkily, turning her head away. "And this is the daughter of the honourable Hinamori family? Pfffth!"

"Oh, I get it! I must be dreaming! I'm dreaming that I've gone mad and there are floating dragon-girls talking to me! I better go back to sleep!" Without further prompting, Momo quickly crawled under the blanket. However, a moment later it was yanked off her.

"Hey! I come here out of the goodness of my heart to guide and protect you, and all you can do is sleep?! Some descendant of the Hinamori family you are!" the girl shouted.

"Hey!" Momo jumped up, jabbing her finger into the chest of the girl. "I'll have you know that I'm a worthy member of the Hinamori family, and this journey's gonna prove it!"

"Fat chance if you think you've gone delusional just cause you're seeing floating guardian spirits in the air," she muttered peevishly.

"Well you would think so too if…wait a minute…guardian spirit? You're one of the twelve guardian spirits of the Hinamori family?!" Momo screeched, taking a step back in shock.

"Finally! We're getting somewhere!" She flew up to Momo, motioned for her to hold out a hand, and landed on her palm. "I am Rukia Kuchiki, the dragon, fifth guardian spirit under the divinities of Nobility and Longevity, of the Hinamori family at your assistance."

Instead of replying, Momo lifted her hand up and down, feeling the weight of Rukia in her hand. The guardian spirit nearly topped over, and had to wrap herself around Momo's thumb. "What are you doing, you crazy woman?!"

"You're actually alive? As in alive, _alive_? You're not just stone and marble?"

"You bet your horse," – Jin snorted disapprovingly – "I'm alive! And with me by your side, you'll return a war hero!"

*****

"So, Rukia, what do you guardian spirits do when the head ancestor doesn't send summons?"

Jin was cantering along down a worn trail that would take the three travellers straight to the camp. Rukia was flying in broad daylight, but their surroundings were so deserted it would take a miracle for someone to catch sight of her. After the initial shock wore off, Momo was an endless stream of questions.

"We stay in the Annul and do whatever. You know, all the usual jazz: drink, gamble, free-for-alls. Some of them are boring and read and stuff, but every once in a while we race." Rukia flipped over, floating along on her back, using her feathery tail as a sort of makeshift tiller. "Good fun, even if there isn't a guardian stone on the line."

"A what–"

Her sentence was cut short as Jin shied back. All manners of guardian spirits and stones were forgotten as Momo ran a soothing hand on his mane. "Steady there, Jin. What's gotten you so frightened?"

Momo looked to the side, inquiring rather than frightened. A small brown viper had its upper body raised, hissing and baring its poisonous fangs.

"Calm, Jin. Stay still," Momo muttered when it angled towards them, sending Jin clopping back a few tentative paces.

Deciding that the larger animal was intimidated, the viper emitted a final hiss and slithered into the browning grass. Momo breathed a sigh of relief. Once, when she was younger and Jin was only a foal, he was bitten by a rogue snake and fell ill for three days. Through that experience, Momo also became uneasy around snakes, fearing for Jin more so that for herself.

"Ha! What was that? You and your horse afraid of some snake?"

Momo turned her head around, spotting the source of that rough, arrogant voice. He had bright red hair and didn't look more than two years older than her. He was mounted on a glossy black stallion which cantered up beside them. A sword was strapped against the saddle. Rukia dived into the neck of Momo's shirt.

"Who are you?" she asked, her voice guarded.

"Renji Abarai." After noting her own sword and sparing stick, he snorted. "Don't tell me a shrimp like you is actually heading off to war. Pffth."

"And what if I am?"

"You won't last five seconds out on the battlefield," Renji replied, flicking Momo on the forehead. "You don't look like you have any muscle at all. You're all scrawny. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were a girl!"

"Good thing you don't know – ouch!" Momo broke off, glaring at Rukia who was signalling for her to stop before her cover was blown. She cleared her throat. "So what of it? You afraid you'll be beaten by me?"

"Momo, what do you think you're doing?!" hissed Rukia. "This is completely unnecessary!"

"You sure have a big mouth, little man! But if you wanna get whopped before we even go to war, then I'm all up for it. Just to warn you though, I'm heading for the advanced camp." Renji jumped off his mount and took out his sword. "So what are you waiting for? Scared already?"

Of course she was. She only ever fought with her sparring stick, but adrenaline was coursing through her veins. Her heart was pounding in her ears and the only thought that occupied her mind was shutting this arrogant creature up.

"The only thing I'm waiting for is to beat you!" she retorted, mimicking his actions and readying her father's sword.

"First one to drop their sword loses," Renji said as he walked away from their horses and into the middle of the vast expanse.

"Fine by me."

Momo and Renji circled on another, moving slowly and sizing up their opponent before launching themselves in. Their swords met and they pushed away from each other before running in for the second strike. Momo found the sword heavier, but not unlike her stick. She easily parried a blow to her hips and thrust her sword forward, shaving a few strands of Renji's hair.

"I guess I may have underestimated you, little man," he sneered.

"You haven't seen anything yet," Momo bluffed back.

His next blow sent tremors up Momo's arms as she struggled to lift her sword up against his weight. She pushed, breaking contact with her sword swinging up in a high arc. They dances around the field, matching each other move for move. Momo slashed again, wondering how long her luck would hold out. After all, she was a novice and Renji seemed to have some form of swordsmanship under his belt.

Sweat began to trickle down both their face, but while Momo's swings were becoming more and more sluggish, Renji was still dealing harsh blows. Her arms felt weak and her wrists were stinging from an inexperienced hold. With a powerful step forward, Renji swung his blade, knocking Momo's sword from her hands and sending her flying back. She landed hard on her back, breathing heavily.

"Y-Yeah, take that! That's what you get when you mess with the great Renji Abarai!"

Momo winced as she pulled herself up into a sitting position. She saw Renji mounting his own horse.

"Better head home if you don't want to get killed, little man!" he shouted before heading off.

*****

_**Training Camp  
**__**Outskirts**_

*****

Momo was standing near the entrance of the training camp, hidden from view by the thick shoots of bamboo. She was finally here – all she needed to do was walk straight in.

"Psst! What're you doing, Momo? Go in!" Rukia urged, appearing from the pocket of a saddle bag. "Don't tell me you're getting cold feet already!"

"I'm not getting cold feet, Rukia!" she whispered back. "This is a…delicate situation, and must be handled as such!"

"Don't give me that crap! Come one! You came here for the Hinamori family, right? Show them what we can do!"

Determined, Momo pushed through the shoots and entered the camp. She had never seen a larger gathering of males in her entire life. Granted, it was still early in the morning, meaning a god portion of them were still asleep inside their tents. She blanched at that fact, fretting over how she would manage to keep her secret concealed.

"You can do this, Momo," she said to herself.

"Because if you can't, the Hinamori family will be shamed for countless of generations!" replied Rukia.

"Rukia!"

"Whoops. Urh…sorry, only kidding!"

She rounded the corner, only to collide into somebody. When she looked up, she couldn't believe her eyes. In fact, he shouldn't even be here at these training grounds in the first place!

"What are you doing here?!"

* * *

I'd like to take this time to say thank you to those readers who have not given up on this story. I apologise for my long leave of absence. These updates are for all you wonderful readers! Thank you!

Next Update: within 15 minutes (with Toshiro's first appearance)


	8. Confrontation

**Chapter 6 – Confrontation**

*****

_**Training Camp**_

*****

Momo really couldn't help herself. The words just came tumbling out of her mouth as soon as she laid eyes on him. Irritation started to creep onto her face as she narrowed her eyes at the sight of his paling face just a mere foot away. The anxiety from before was pushed away without a second thought. She jabbed him in the chest.

"Well, ignoramus, you gonna answer or what?"

Renji just kept staring at her with visible shock and trepidation written all over his face. Two other males stood near him, and one of them – ravened haired – nudged him.

"Hey, Renji, you know him?"

"Know him?!" Momo flared. "I met this arrogant thing out in the plains and he _claimed _he was headed for the advanced camp!"

"What?!" mocked the ravened haired man. "Are you kidding, Renji?! You can't even swing a sword–mmffth!"

Renji had slapped his giant palm over his companion's mouth. He glared at him to be quite and then turned his gaze onto Momo.

"They wanted me to come here to teach you sissies a lesson," he said, much too quickly. Momo did not lose notice of that.

"Ah, I see. In other words you only won because you're physically larger than me." She paused for a second. "And now that I think about it, you were holding your sword just like me. Hmph, now I'm surprised it took you so long to bring me down," she said derisively.

"What did you say, you puny little thing?!"

"What? You're hearing impaired as well?" Momo was angry; she just could not believe she lost to this self-assured amateur. "Perhaps you're the one who shouldn't be here, you idiotic buffoon!"

"Momo," Rukia stressed out a little too late.

"Oh, now you've done it! Get ready to eat my fist!"

Renji charged head on and Momo just barely side-stepped away. Immediately she ran down the path, Renji in hot pursuit. She did not look back to see how far – or close – he was. His thundering footsteps were enough. However, according to Rukia, he was chasing her quite determinedly with a livid face.

"What did you do that for?" Rukia hissed. "You're causing a scene!"

"Well isn't this what guys do? Get into testosterone-centred fights?" Momo retorted.

"Except you can't afford to get caught here!" Her talons dug into Momo's back.

"Mind saving the acupuncture for later," Momo growled, although she knew Rukia was perfectly correct. "We have bigger, and clearly stupider, things to worry about."

Momo willed her legs to move faster. From the proximity of his profanities it was obvious his bulk did little to slow him down, but she was not without her own assets. Her small and lithe body allowed her to roll, duck and swerve around obstacles without much hindrance to her speed. From the angry shouts, clashes and bangs that followed her trail, she took satisfaction that it did not hold true for her chaser.

Even so, Momo needed something to stop this fruitless game of tag; preferably with her coming out as victorious. As she turned a corner she realised that Renji had fallen far behind. This gave her some time to think and plan, not that she had much to work with. With a quick prayer to her guardians for luck, she slipped through the fabric flaps of a random tent.

She had stumbled upon the weaponry tent. Pieces of worn looking armour were stacked as neatly as possible in the far left corner, and right next to them was a long rack that stretched for almost the entire length of the tent. There was not a single space on it that was free from a long spear. Various swords occupied several clay pots. Momo noticed with a little relish that there were also many fighting stick piled up nearby.

Weapons and armour were not the only things in the tent. There was a man – a guard perhaps – sitting on a small wooden chair with his legs propped up leisurely on the accompanying table. He was clearly fast asleep; not a very good guard. On the table, balanced precariously on the edge, were a teapot and a matching teacup. Momo's eyebrows shot up as her brain began to work on a plan. She looked behind her shoulder; this tent had two openings.

Perfect.

*****

"Argh!!" Renji slammed a feather down, without much success. Running through the chicken coop was not fun. "Where did you go, you little midget!!"

Renji turned his head this way and that. He had to admit said midget was extremely quick on his toes; not that he would ever admit it out loud.

"Dammit! He's still girly looking!" he yelled to counteract his thoughts. "Now where is he?!"

"Hey!"

That quick, sharp shout grabbed his attention. He snapped his head up and saw Momo with her head stuck out through the flap of a tent not ten meters away. She waved cheerfully to him as if he was a friend of hers and just as quickly disappeared back inside. A low growl escaped his throat.

"I've got you now."

He quickly marched himself over and threw the flap open. One look confirmed that there was no one else besides him and the sleeping guard. Renji scowled in confusion and took a step inside. He scanned the area at eye height and then noticed the other opening. Just as he was about to take a forward step, unbeknownst to him Momo – who had squeezed herself in a tiny space between the armour and spears – stuck out a wooden pole. Renji tripped successfully, but he was not let off so easily. He landed on the tea Momo has previously spilt and inevitably went sliding along the trail, unable to stop himself.

"WAAARRGH!"

Renji slid along the tea covered floor and straight out through the flap. His eyes – closed upon hitting the floor – opened. He was flying in the direction of the breakfast line and if he didn't stop himself there would be one serious domino effect. Luckily he fell short a few centimetres and landed with a dull flop behind the last person in line.

Back inside the tent Momo snickered to herself and eased herself out of her hiding place. She dusted her hands in self-satisfaction and made to walk outside. Clearly she forgot about her slick trail. Karma sure was funny at times. Momo shot out of the tent in a similar fashion, rocketing even more so than her predecessor because of her weight. She too, broke into a moment of panic when she saw the line, but calmed down when she felt herself starting to fall down. It looked like she would land safely onto the ground, not causing a commotion.

That was until _he_ decided to stand up.

"AHHHH!"

Momo's hands flailed wildly about in front of her but there was no stopping the inevitable. She crashed into Renji's back and he in turn crashed into the person in front of him. People went down like domino tiles; very entertaining for the onlookers. There was a loud clash and soon it was raining rice and pork congee. Everyone was covered in the congealed remains of their breakfast.

Momo was flat on the ground, her eyes still closed up in a wince. Rukia poked her head out of her shirt.

"Um, Momo?" she said, tapping her on the neck. "You might need to start running again."

Momo looked up to see every single face of the queue glare at her, whether they were on the ground, picking themselves up or standing. There was a murderous glint in their eyes. Momo gulped and offered them a weak laugh.

"Hehe…oops."

*****

_**Training Camp  
**__**Captain's Tent**_

*****

"The Chao army is advancing quickly through the Khitan plains. By the time my troops reach the southern side of the Honshu Mountains it will bee too late to stop them there. No doubt they plan to traverse through the Honshu pass."

General Jushiro Ukitake tapped his thin black pointer on the map and traced the point up and down a thin marking. That was where the pass was located. It was a single extremely thin tan line in the middle of a massive expanse of the grey that indicated the Honshu Mountains.

"I will take my troops and station them here and here." Jushiro tapped out two points, one on each side of the pass. "We will lie in wait, using the element of surprise and the surrounding mountains to our advantage. Meanwhile, I trust that you will train the new recruits to the best of your ability."

He looked up at the person kneeling across from him. He had been staring intensely at the map, but when addressed, shot up into a straight and formal posture. He had a shock of white hair that defied gravity, sticking out in every direction. The colour matched his father's. The clothes he wore were simple and practical. Uncovered skin revealed strong and toned muscles, stripped of any and all baby fat through years of training. Clearly he was a soldier with great skills and experience, but he looked no older than seventeen.

"Of course," he said solemnly, bowing his head down.

"Chojiro will keep record of your progress and when he believes you are ready you will join us, Captain."

Jushiro picked up an elegant sword that was lying next to him and handed it over to his son. He looked at it for a second before speechlessly accepting it. With this sword in his hands, he was no longer his father's student, but a full fledged Captain. It was mind-blowing; the best promotion to date. He weighed it in his hands; it felt perfect. He couldn't wait for the chance to use it.

"Captain," he said in a low murmur, not quite daring to believe just yet.

"Are you certain about this, General?" Chojiro spoke out from his corner. "He is, after all, very young. Perhaps someone more experienced?"

"Top of his class ever since he started training, extensive knowledge of weaponry and tactical procedures…and an uncanny ability to stare down the opposition." Jushiro flicked a small smile across to his son. "I believe Toshiro Hitsugaya will do an excellent job with the new recruits."

"Yes, sir."

Jushiro nodded sagely and rolled up the large map. He tucked his gold plated helmet under his arm and rose. "Very well then, we will celebrate the fall of the Chao in the Imperial City." He addressed Chojiro. "I will be expecting a full report in a month's time. Until then."

Jushiro swept out of the tent, followed shortly by Chojiro. The flap fell back in place and Toshiro paused, his hand still stretched out to lift it. He pulled it back and patted _his _sword – now tied to his waist – with fondness. He envisioned himself standing atop of Aizen's dead body with his legion of highly skilled soldiers behind him; trained by him of course. No opposition would dare oppose China when he led their armies. He was going to be the greatest leader in all of China – no – in all the universes! With that satisfying thought planted in his mind he stepped out of the tent,

And into chaos.

The new recruits were fighting amongst themselves like rabid dogs. A cloud of dust kicked up from the brawl slightly obscured them. Arms and legs were disappearing in and out; something that seemed more plausible for children's picture scrolls. Toshiro could only stare wide eyed and mouthed. A dazed recruit stumbled out of the brawl – black eyed – and upon seeing the General and Captain, saluted them with a weak hand before fainting. Jushiro laughed and smartly stepped over the slumped body to mount his stallion.

"Best of luck, Captain!"

His stallion reared up and took off in a fast gallop. The other mounted soldiers in his battalion swiftly followed behind in four neat lines. Toshiro looked out in the direction his father took off in. His eyes were soft and lingering.

"Stay safe, father," he whispered.

The scuffles of the brawl he muted for that brief moment regained their volume. Toshiro squared his shoulders and steeled his eyes. He turned to face the rabble of children and with an air of authority yelled, "SOLDIERS!"

The effect of his voice was like a crack of a whip above their heads. Every soldier stopped what they were doing, some looking incredibly ridiculous frozen in mid-action. Toshiro's presence heavily pressed onto them. He was one of those people who could make every person listen without effort. The soldiers stood stiff before quickly moving to stand around a quivering lump huddled on the floor.

"He started it," every one of them accused, pointing at the lump.

Toshiro walked up and shadowed the figure on the ground. Momo felt his presence towering above her and she marginally raised her head up from its defensive position. The first thing she noticed, even with his scowl, was that the person standing in front of her was the most gorgeous male she'd ever laid eyes on.

The white and texture of his hair reminded her of the fluffy down of a duckling; except comparing him to a ducking seemed suicidal at this point. She settled for snow instead. The green of his eyes allured her. It was such a beautiful shade: emerald, with very subtle streaks of viridian. He was nicely built, she noticed with glee. Thin, but not sickly, and it certainly was the body of a god. Those perfectly toned muscles, his medium-fine complexion and that flawless chiselled face.

He was the incarnate of beauty itself.

"Well are you going to slouch there all day or do I have to teach you how to stand?"

And a jerk.

Momo shot up and self-consciously brushed her clothes off. There would be no chance for her instinctive anger; her thoughts – minus the jerk observation – and his overwhelming aura of authority quelled it. Toshiro grabbed the collar of her shirt, putting his face close to hers.

"I don't need anyone causing trouble around my camp," he growled. A moment later and he released her.

"Sorry," she said timidly before realising she was here incognito. She switched back to that absurdly low voice. "I mean sorry about that, Captain. But you know how we men roll. Sometimes you just want to beat the crap outta each other. Give each other black eyes…bruises, cracked ribs-"

Toshiro's cold voice sliced straight through her nonsense. "Let me see your conscription notice," he demanded.

Momo fought the rising blush as she fumbled around for her notice. She finally had it in her slightly trembling hands and handed it over. His eyes quickly scanned over the few characters.

"Long Fei?" He looked incredulous. "_The _Long Fei. The one who fought in the war of year 700, taking down more men single-handily than ten soldiers did _combined_?"

"I was not aware that the honourable Long Fei Hinamori had a son," Chojiro said looking suspiciously at Momo.

"We're uh, very distantly related. You see I'm the son of my father's sister's husband's third cousin twice removed who used to live in the mountains of Tibet. But then my father's sister's husband's third cousin twice removed, who was my mother but not really because she told me I was the son of my father's si-"

"What's your name?" he interrupted yet again.

Momo faltered. "Uh, my name?" She cleared her throat. "Yes, I have a name…which I need to tell you…but rest assured it is a man's name!"

"Ayame, what about Ayame?" Rukia quietly suggested.

"That's a girl's name," Momo shot back.

"I didn't ask for a girl's name." His voice was piercing.

"Ni Hao," was her next suggestion.

"Ni Hao?" Oops. Momo had repeated that too loud. Toshiro was looking at her like she was mentally unstable.

"Hello to you too!" The little dragon chortled at her flimsy joke.

"Rukia," Momo hissed.

"Rukia?" Toshiro asked. Momo shook her head and he snapped. "Then what is it?!"

"Oh, I know! Ichigo! He was my best friend in high school, although he did always steal my lu-" Momo silenced the chatty dragon with a firm press against her neck.

"It's Ichigo."

Toshiro narrowed his eyes and took a step around her. "Alright soldiers, because of Ichigo here, you will spend every remaining minute of today cleaning up this mess. There better not be a single blade of grass out of place by nightfall, and tomorrow, the real training begins."

He retreated back into his tent, leaving Momo again at the mercy of a thousand murderous glares.

* * *

Next update: within 15 minutes (assuming FFnet doesn't decide to screw up, like it did a few minutes ago)


	9. Running Into Trouble

**Chapter 7 – Running into Trouble**

*****

_**Training Camp**_

*****

The sun was barely over the horizon. No one else was out yet but Momo, still looking behind her shoulder as she stealthy ran through the camp. A small cotton bag was slung over her shoulder, banging lightly against her back with every movement. Rukia glided soundlessly besides her.

"Where are you going, Momo?" she asked, not bothering to keep her eyes ahead.

"I need a bath."

Rukia kicked her in the head, nearly making Momo crash loudly into a wooden support pole. Momo managed to wrap both her arms around it and her momentum swung her in a full circle. When she stopped, she was panting out of panic and several strands of hair were tossed out of place. She placed a hand over her chest to stop her hammering heart.

"What was _that_ for?" she whispered fiercely.

"Are you crazy Momo?! You can't do something like taking a bath right near a whole bunch of guys!"

"Well excuse me for keeping an eye on my hygiene!"

"Oh please," Rukia scoffed as she resumed gliding alongside Momo. "Males probably don't even bathe half as many times as females. They're not dropping dead at every corner."

"From their BO it'd be other people that are dropping dead."

Their bickering match continued even after they walked outside the camp perimeter. Momo pushed her way through the thick shoots of bamboo while they seemed to part away for Rukia. They weaved through the natural maze. It was still dark, but it did not badly obscure their vision. Everything was damp with dewdrops.

Momo suppressed an early morning shiver as she pushed through a few last shoots and tumbled into a clearing. There was a still lake spanned out in front of them. It was large, winding around a bend and ending somewhere Momo couldn't see. A light mist hung in the air so she could not see the bank adjacent from her, but she could just make out a small island. It stood eerily backgrounded by the mist.

The grass extended from the forest and slowly waned until it the ground became pebbly. It was a long stretch of rocks before the edge of the lake. All of the small pebbles appeared to be a uniform dull black, but upon closer inspection it revealed that they were all sorts of colours: green, blue, brown, maroon; they were just covered by the lack of light – speaking of which, it was starting to light up now.

Momo walked up to a rock planted near a patch of long reeds and a twisted gingko tree. She placed her bag on the damp surface of the rock and placed a hand on the tree trunk to steady herself as she began to take off her shoes. They were placed neatly at the base of the rock. She began to strip off the rest of her clothes, reluctant because of the cold temperature.

"I-i-it's c-c-cold!" she complained as she folded the last of her clothes in a neat pile.

"Well it's your own fault for wanting a bath." Rukia floated gloatingly in front of her in her warm looking clothes.

"W-w-well ex-excuse m-m-me for b-being a n-n-n-n-n-" Her shivers became so violent that she had to stop and rub her arms up and down. "O-oh n-n-never mind! Le-Let's j-j-just g-g-get this ov-ov-over w-with!!"

Shakily, she walked up to the edge of the lake. She hesitated, rocking back and forth on her heels before taking a large breath and jumping in. Her jump took her about a meter from the bank, where the waters would have reached mid-calf if she was standing. However, she landed in a sitting position and she was hip deep. A very noticeable shiver travelled from her legs and up her spine. Within a second of entering, she jumped back out considerably bluer.

"S-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-"

She was back on the bank, shivering so violently that they were on the edge of becoming convulsions. Her arms and legs were huddled together close to her body. She was too shocked to move for her clothes. Her teeth were chattering so badly she could hardly get a single word out. A gust of wind ran past and she gave a stuttered moan of displeasure. Rukia gave her a smug smirk and lazily swished her tail through the air.

"I told you so," she sung.

She revelled in her teasing for a brief moment before deciding to help Momo warm up. Her toes looked like they were going to fall off. That wouldn't be the most desirable of situations. As she turned to glide down towards the clothes pile, something caught her eye. She turned her head and squinted. It was faint and wavering, and Rukia was almost positive about what it was. Quickly, she flew there to confirm her thoughts.

"Hey, there's a hot spring right over there." Rukia pointed through a large patch of reeds.

The words had immediate effect. Momo's head snapped up and her limbs miraculously became unfrozen. She breezed past Rukia in uncontained anticipation. The damp reeds clung to her body, but she took no notice. Rukia stared dumbfound at her enthused reaction and grumbled when she realised she was left with all of the things.

When Rukia came into the hot spring area with all of Momo's things dragging her down, Momo was already sighing contently in her own little corner of warmth. The blue tinge in her skin was chased away; her face was starting to flush. Rukia dumped everything into a messy pile near a dully sparkling rock. She stuffed her arms into her sleeves, crossed her legs and hovered above Momo.

"Where would you be without me?" she chided.

"Definitely not here."

Momo grin became wider as she drifted further off. She was in the smallest hot spring. A thin line of grass served as a divider between this and the next, larger hot spring. Beyond that were several more steamy heavens that held their own inviting waters. The steam rose out in a constant wave, creating a screen of haze.

Momo opened her eyes and sat up from her relaxed lounge. She plunged her head in for the briefest of seconds and then proceeded to wash her body. Rukia still hovered, scowling slightly when hot droplets splashed onto her. After washing herself off, Momo leant back in a more awakened state. Her eyes could just make out the sun that was half over the horizon.

"So Rukia, I still don't know much about you. What can you do?" Momo asked conversationally, twisting up her damp hair into a bun. As soon as he released her hands it fell back down. "Can you breathe fire?"

"Pffth, I can do something much better than that!"

"What? You can't breathe fire?" Momo blinked uncomprehendingly. "I thought all dragons breathed fire."

"You are so uneducated kiddo. Each of the zodiac guardians has a particular fixed element. Mine's wood," she stated proudly.

"Oh," Momo said before leaving Rukia off in silence.

"Hey! What do you mean 'oh'?! I'll show you!"

Her eyes slid over to something above Momo's head, but before Momo could open her mouth the branch hanging above her smacked her head. It quickly returned back to its original position, raining down a couple of leaves.

"Ow!" Momo yelled, rubbing her head. She turned around to glare at the tree. It seemed to be silently laughing at her.

"That's what you get when you mess with the great Rukia Kuchiki."

Momo mumbled something along the lines of 'cocky little dragon' and sunk further into the waters. She sat in a mediative silence, watching the mist and steam slowly clear away. The lake water glimmered invitingly in the sun's rays and she was tempted to again go into their depths. But she didn't feel like turning into an iceblock today.

With pained effort, Momo rose from the warmth of the hot spring. An involuntary shiver hit her body from the drastic temperature change. She quickly strode over to her bag and fished out a large towel. She huddled into it before reluctantly slipping her clothes on. No one wanted to move in the cold but it did feel much better to be in nice, dry clothes than stark naked. After giving her hair a couple of towel pats, she picked up her bag and started to walk out.

"You're not going to walk out like that, are you?"

"Why not? It's barely morning. I think it's perfectly safe for my hair to be down like this."

Indeed Momo did not bother to put her hair up in her undercover style. Instead she let it hang down to her shoulder with her bangs framing her face. It drew out her dark lashes, giving her a natural, alluring feminie look, but completely inappropriate for her current situation. She ran a hand through her partially damp hair as she walked along the lake edge. Time did not worry her; they were instructed to be ready at seven sharp. She estimated that she had about half an hour's more free time, give or take a few minutes.

"Momo, hurry up and put your hair up!"

Rukia flew out and dangled the strip of cloth like an omen. She was wearing a large scowl and was radiating an overprotective mother-goose aura. Momo rolled her eyes and flippantly waved her off with the back of her hand. She looked back at the fuming dragon as she walked around the large trunk of a tree.

"Ai-ya, you worry too mu-ooph!"

Rukia – previously smouldering – took in a sharp breath and quickly took cover in Momo's shirt. Momo slowly detached herself from that nice, warm something she bumped into. A pair of feet shuffled around and when Momo finally opened her eyes, she met with green.

And it was not the green from the trees.

*****

_**China  
**__**Northern Plains**_

*****

A small falcon flew among the clouds above the Northern Plains of China, just south of the Honshu Mountains. It would have otherwise been inconspicuous if not for it's unnaturally pitch black plumage. It became violet in the direct sunlight. It caught a south bound draft and allowed itself to be carried along. The wind stayed on course for a small duration before changing directions. The falcon tilted and drifted out and to the right; it spotted its target regardless.

Startlingly contrasted against the dry green of the Northern Plains was a moving pack of white: the pure white stallions of China's imperial army. As the falcon drifted close towards the ground, it felt the thundering of a thousand feet. It knew that it would not be noticed; humans so rarely took notice of the small inconsequential details that would one day lead to them to their doom.

Especially uptight imperials.

The falcon circled once above their heads – from a safe distance – and assessed their progress for its master. They were not far from the Imperial City and therefore have not been travelling for very long – perhaps a day or two at most. It examined the force with one of its sharp gold eyes. The army blanked a large area in white; from an overhead view it looked like a massive moving sheet of paper. It was an intimidating force…for anyone else other than its master.

It drifted even closer – still unnoticed – towards the head of the formation. It hovered a safe distance from the General and his second-in-commands, waiting in the wings to gather whatever information it could.

Iba twisted his head to stretch out his aching neck. A bone popped and satisfied, he turned back around. "General, how long will it take us to reach the base of the Honshu Mountains?" he said respectfully.

"If we keep at our current pace it should take no longer than a month," Jushiro replied. "How are the troops holding up?"

Ikkaku laughed his loud, harsh laugh. "They're all primed up for battle." He took a quick glance behind at the rest of the army. "If they don't get their hands on some Chao soon, they'll be fighting with themselves," he joked.

"Now Ikkaku, don't let seeds be planted."

"Don't get your cape in a bundle, General."

Ikkaku leant over awkwardly and punched Jushiro on the arm. When he was off the battlefield, their General was an easy-going and relaxed person. He never raised his voice with his subordinates; he never needed to. They found themselves drawn in by his personality, and later drawn in with the highest respect after they've seen him in action. On the battlefield the General was a fierce fighter, and yet one that still kept in mind the welfare of his troops. No one in China's history has ever led a more successful army than one Jushiro Ukitake.

"Does everyone know about the strategy we are going to be implementing, General?" Iba asked, turning the conversation down a more serious path.

"Yes." Jushiro looked up towards the sky, forcing the falcon – still unnoticed – to drift further back. "As I said, this will give us the advantage of surprise. There is no doubt, Sosuke Aizen is very powerful head-on, and so we must make full use of the many hidden crevasses in the mountains. I doubt that he knows about them."

A wind blew past, creating an ominous hissing sound. Jushiro pulled on the reins and swiftly turned his head around, seeing nothing but a giant cloud moving in to cover the sun.

"What do you see, General?" Ikkaku asked, stopping his own stallion as well.

Suddenly a forceful gust of wind rammed into them. It was so powerful that the imperial horses had to dig their hooves into the ground. The gust ripped many blades of dry grass from the ground. They flew like miniature knives, leaving a brief but stinging pain whenever they made contact with bare skin. Low throbs of thunder began to roll in, bringing with them a blanket of angry storm clouds. The once blue sky was now nearly covered in foreshadowing black, grey and a hint of purple. Small, heavy drops began to fall.

"The clouds are moving in." He nudged his horse and it took off. "Quickly, we must find shelter. A storm is coming."

* * *

Next update: within 15 minutes (was going to stop here for the day, but I though readers may want a little more Toshiro)


	10. Begin: Day One

**Chapter 8 – Begin: Day One**

*****

_**Training Camp **_

*****

It was an hour before seven when the flap of the Captain's tent was lifted up. Toshiro walked out into the crisp air, wearing a loose, unbuttoned short-sleeved shirt. He did not even flinch when early morning winds buffeted him, sending ripples through his clothes and hair. He scanned the area; not one blade of grass out of place. It seemed the new recruits weren't completely useless after all. He shifted the towel in his hands and slung it over his shoulder.

Silently, he walked out into the bamboo forest. He followed his own mentally mapped out trail to Xialonghu, otherwise known as the Summer Dragon Lake, for a quick bath. The earth was damp and was uncomfortably yielding whenever he stepped upon it. The accompanying squelching noise was also shuddering. He ignored all this and continued to push his way through the bamboo, occasionally getting sprinkled with dewdrops sliding off the leaves.

Sunlight filtered in from a low angle off the ground, creating an unusual sight of lighted grounds and dark canopies. The small forest birds woke for the day, hopping around the forest floor searching for seeds and small insects. An unlikely wind managed to wind its way through the bamboo. It flew through holes – gnawed in the bamboo by small animals – and created a flute-like sound. It was very peaceful.

Toshiro emerged from the forest and saw the still waters of Xialonghu in front of him. A few pliant reeds that were subjugated to stoop from collecting condensation brushed upon the surface. Small ripples broke on the surface whenever the reeds swayed. Quiet dripping sounds occurred rhythmically through the air like a metronome.

He walked up to the edge and immediately took off all his clothes, unaffected by the temperature. One step at a time he walked into the frosty water. There were no signs that he felt even the slightest bit cold: his skin stayed the same colour, his facial expression was calm and indifferent, and there was not even the tiniest hint of a shiver. He walked until he was chest deep and stayed there, looking up towards the sky in quiet rumination. He stood for so long that the water became still once again, undisturbed by his presence. The sunlight reflected off the water and onto his skin, making it seem he was aglow.

When it seemed like he was nothing more than a statue, he abruptly submerged himself. A second later and his head reappeared a few feet from where he last was. His feet could no longer touch the grainy lake bottom. He took in a large breath and dived under once again. In one breath he swam almost to where the island was. He broke to the surface, treaded water for a few minutes, then swum along the surface back to where his clothes laid.

Working quickly, he dried himself off and put his clothes back on. The sun was nearly sitting on the horizon, so there was a little more time before he had to get back to the training camp. He started to wander aimlessly around the glade, in a considerably good mood, though it didn't show on his stoic face. As he walked his eyes wandered up and down, taking in all of the nature surrounding him.

He was passing a large tree when a flat, smooth rock caught his eye. He bent down and picked it up, flipping it over in his hand to examine it. It was a nice and sleek black rock, fairly flat and smooth. The small impurities in it made it faintly sparkle. All in all it was a very beautiful rock. Toshiro turned around towards the lake. He tossed the rock lightly up and down upon his palm, deliberating on whether to skip it, when something bumped into his back. He heard a small 'ooph' and turned around to see who it was.

His emerald eyes settled upon a pair of warm chocolate brown eyes widened in shock and fear. Her deep black was partially damp and still clung slightly to her skin. Tresses framed her face and it brought out the beauty of her soft face. She looked up at him fearfully and he wondered if it was because of his eyes. It wasn't said much, but just enough that he knew his eyes were almost always as sharp and as cold as ice.

Neither made any movement. A small bead of sweat rolled down her forehead, leaving a shining trail. Instinctively, he raised a hand and brushed it off. The girl shied away from his touch, taking a shaky step back. Toshiro still had his hand extended. His intimate actions surprised even him; he was not normally so tender.

He lowered his hand. "I apologise. That was inappropriate of me."

The girl had her head lowered so that her eyes were shadowed, but he managed to pick up her very subtle nod of forgiveness. A silence descended and caught both their throats. The ground suddenly became a shade brighter – a small cloud previously blocking the sun had moved on. Toshiro looked up and squinted in the direct sunlight. When he lowered his head, he saw the girl with her head towards the sky as well.

"Excuse me. I have to be going," he said with a curt nod.

The girl looked down and slowly met his eyes. "A-ah, yes…so do I."

Swiftly, she turned around and headed in the direction of the bamboo forest. He watched her retreating back; she was having slight trouble running. She kept stumbling. Before she made ten paces, he called out to her.

"Wait." He paused and waited for her to turn her head around. The wondering behind her eyes was obvious even from the distance. "May I ask for your name?"

She angled slightly toward him and he saw that here eyes were wide. Was it a question she was dreading? Or maybe it was a question she was hoping for? She bit her lips in slight hesitation before displaying her dazzling smile. The brown of her eyes melted warmly.

"I'm Momo."

A cute laugh escaped through her lips. She smiled once again before turning around on her heels and scurrying out of sight. Toshiro stood still against the soft morning breeze. He tilted his head up at the sky once more before making his way back to the training camp.

*****

_**Training Camp**_

*****

"I told you, didn't I?! I told you that you should've tied your hair up, but _no! _Obviously you wanted to royally screw yourself over before you even got started!" Rukia seethed. "What were you thinking, talking to your _captain _like that?! Your captain who thinks you're a freaking guy!!"

Momo ignored all of her reprimands, and found that it was quite easy. She was running towards the training fields. Her hair was tied back up and she was changed into some cotton clothes prefect for training, much to Rukia's immense, annoyed relief.

"Are you even listening?!"

Momo stopped and grabbed Rukia out of her shirt. Rukia managed to escape from her grasp, but not from her gaze.

"Why are you so worried?"

"Because if you get caught the penalty is death, and I don't need another de-" Rukia caught her next words and cleared her throat. "I mean…it would be really bad if you died,' she mumbled.

"I – no, _we'll_ be fine."

"Where is all that confidence coming from?"

"Why are you asking that? Shouldn't you have buckets of that stuff. After all, you _are _the most powerful and noble of the family guardians." Momo smiled. "If you're here helping me, then we'll make it through even better than okay. So, we're seeing this through together, no worries and all?"

Momo extended a hand. Rukia looked at her upturned palm while many thoughts splashed though her head. A moment later her face lit up with her usual self-assurance and vivaciousness. She slapped Momo's palm – sealing the deal – and then dove back into her shirt.

"Right! I don't even know why I was worried!" Rukia gasped in mock horror. "I was this close to turning into high-and-mighty-sama himself! Ugh!"

Momo laughed and refrained from asking who this "high-and-mighty-sama" was. She stored this trivial question away, along with a more sombre one. Rukia didn't seem to have a problem with her until the potential of being discovered was right there in front of them. Her personality just seemed to do a three-sixty, and it was unsettling. She also caught herself when talking about the death penalty, and…something about another death? Perhaps, but that was a question for later. Currently, there were more pressing matters.

Soon she found herself running out onto the training fields. Here the grass had yet to turn brown and prickly, so it was a tranquil sight…squashed the moment loud raucous laughter thundered through the air. The new recruits – all of which looked under thirty – were behaving like grade-schoolers; ones that have been given a million rubber bands to flick each other with. Chojiro yelled for order until he was red in the face, but the noise did not cease. He mumbled something about 'incompetent fools' before going off to sulk in his own patch of grass.

However, when Momo came closer into view, it did go unusually quiet. For a minute. Almost every single male gave her a nasty glare. It would be a long time before any of them would forget the cleanup duties they had to do because of her. Eventually, they returned to their previous occupations, whether it be talking, laughing or pushing. Momo slowed her pace until she came to an awkward standstill. Renji closed up the leftover distance.

"Catching up on your beauty sleep, Ichigo?" he asked with a cocky grin.

"Of course," Momo replied in the same superior tone. "After all, I wouldn't need to practise much to beat _you_, Renji, of all people."

Renji's two friends – the ravened haired one from before, and a blond haired one – both laughed. The blond haired one let out several polite chuckles, but he was obviously holding much more in. Tears pricked at the eyes of the ravened-haired, whom Momo thought of as too serious-looking to be laughing.

"Ahahaha! He got you there Renji!" chortled the raven haired one. He was half leaning on Renji's back for support, thumping his back every two seconds.

Renji scowled at the two. "Dammit, Shuuhei, Izuru, knock it off! Whose side are you on anyway?"

Izuru – the blonde haired one – suppressed his next bout of laughter with a satisfactory achievement. "Sorry," he managed to get out.

By now Shuuhei had calmed himself down. He peeled himself off of Renji's back, only hiccupping every now and then. He walked over to stand in front of Momo, towering over her. He raised a hand to sit all but touching the top of her head, and moved it across towards his body. It ended just below his collarbone.

"Wow. You _are_ short!" He burst into another round of laughter. "You really are the little man!"

Momo scowled and jammed her foot into his, with satisfying results. Shuuhei jumped up and howled, hopping around on one foot. She smirked; he had gotten off easy. She was just the right _height _and position to have dealt out some serious damage. Before Shuuhei had a chance to repay the favour, a harsh voice cut through the air.

"Soldiers!"

Any and all activities ceased at once. Everyone scrambled to get themselves in a muddled line, nervous under the piercing gaze of their captain. If there was one word to describe him, it would be downright _scary_. Momo could hear her heart throbbing in her ears, and she tried not to meet his eyes. He could probably stare down the Chao army if he wanted to! He scanned across the line, appraising them. Finally, he spoke.

"I am Toshiro Hitsugaya, but from this moment on you will refer to me as Captain or Sir. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Captain!" the whole line replied in unison.

"I expect you all to be assembled and ready at seven sharp every morning, no excuses. Anyone who acts otherwise will answer to me."

He took off his unbuttoned shirt, exposing his hard, toned chest and arms. There were some pretty impressive muscles for someone who wasn't at all bulky. He let his shirt fall into a clump near the pile of wooden fighting sticks and picked one up. It was about three centimetres in diameter, two meters long, looked much worn and had numerous indents.

"Clearly none of you are experts in the area of war and combat," He brought the stick down upon his knee and broke it cleanly in half. "As that is why you are here. But after I am through with you,"

He threw the halves high up into the air and shot up after them. He reached the twirling pieces of wood while they were still on their ascent. With a powerful kick, he sent the piece on his left hurtling towards the ground before turning and doing the same to the other. He landed nimbly on both feet just as the halves impaled loudly into the earth. The new recruits looked on in respected awe and fear. The halves were perfectly aligned with his body.

"Not even the Chao will dare attack."

The new recruits were still frozen from his display, but he did not expect any comments. He folded his arms across his chest and looked at them once more. Momo kept her eyes on a small spot just a little over his shoulder, just far enough away from his eyes. A few tense moments later and he spoke once again.

"Assemble into four lines. Day one begins now."

* * *

Next update: in an hour or so


	11. Encounters

**Chapter 9 - Encounters**

*****

_**Training Camp**_

*****

Toshiro walked through the new recruits, assessing them. He ordered them to execute push-ups in order to test their endurance. He had begun lightly: one hundred push-ups to his timing. As he steadily counted one-two-one-two, the crease between his eyebrows became more pronounced. Clearly he did not like what he saw. They had barely past the halfway mark and three-quarters were already lying dead on the ground, with the rest soon to follow.

"No resting soldiers!" The tone of his voice was enough to make every recruit lift themselves up on shaky arms. "We're not stopping till you give me one hundred push-ups!"

"Ha!" Renji scoffed through heavy breathing. He was executing push-ups faster than anyone else. "He could at least give us a challenge," he said in a voice only his neighbours could hear – which were Shuuhei, Izuru and Momo.

"Sp…speak…f-for…your…yourself!" Izuru managed to get out. His arms were shaking badly and he could hardly keep his head up.

"Shut up, Renji." Shuuhei was not as tired and Izuru, but he was quite taxed. Even on this slightly overcast day beads of sweat persisted in rolling down his face. The scowl on his face was very pronounced.

'_Idiotic show off,'_ Momo thought, too tired to do anything else with her mouth besides breathing. After weakly lifting herself up for her seventy-odd push-up, she snuck a sidelong glance at him. He was doing well – she had to admit that – but nowhere near as well as his show of bravado implied.

After several long minutes, all of the recruits managed to complete their first task. They all slumped down gratefully, but didn't have long to rest. Toshiro had them up on their feets again.

"I want you to circle the perimeter of the camp five times. Move!" A low collective groan issued from the recruits and he narrowed his eyes into dangerous slits. "Seven times, and you all better get moving before I make it ten."

*****

Momo groaned loudly as she fell onto her mattress. Rukia glided in a second later, followed by a branch with broad leaves. She guided the branch over Momo's sweat-drenched body and controlled it to make fanning movements.

"He's…He's…absolutely…cr-crazy!" she huffed out. "I…I want…to…go home!"

"C'mon Momo! The first day's always tough! You'll get better at it," Rukia encouraged. She put a finger to her mouth thoughtfully. "Hm, it seemed like he was going easy on you guys today."

"What?!" Momo was now recovered and had pulled herself into a sitting position. "You were watching today, weren't you?!"

After the hundred push-ups and seven laps, they had to do a hundred sit-ups, lunges and various other strenuous stretches, run up and down a steep hill while carrying sacks of sand, and other exercises of the like. According to Toshiro, he had given them the bare minimum. At noon he gave them a small lunch respite of thirty minutes that flew by like the wind. Afterwards, he informed them that their warm ups were completed. The involuntary groan gave them an extra hour worth of 'real' training. It was now nine.

"Of course! I couldn't miss your first day of training!" Rukia dabbed her eyes and sniffed dramatically. "Ah, they're growing up so fast!"

Momo rolled her eyes and flopped down onto her arms. Her body tensed up as she sniffed her arms. She shot back up with a disgusted look on her face.

"Yuck! I stink!"

She ran over to the corner of the tent where her bags were carelessly dumped and rummaged around through them until she found a fresh pair of clothes. It consisted of a loose fitting white cotton top and three quarter lengths pants, both unisex.

"I'm going to the hot springs. Coming, Rukia?" she asked as she lifted up the tent flap.

"Well I couldn't leave you all by your lonesome. What kind of guardian would I be?" Rukia flew to rest on top of Momo's head as she was busy undoing Jin's reins. "And who knows what trouble you'd get yourself into if I wasn't there?"

"Thanks, Rukia," Momo said sarcastically.

Momo unfastened the last buckle and slid the reins off. As they came off, Jin shook his head from side to side, testing out his freedom. Momo patted him affectionately a few times – "C'mon Jin" – and guided him to follow her into the bamboo forest.

"Do guardians need to take baths?" Momo wondered out loud as the trio made their way through the bamboo forest. It was easier now that Rukia manipulated the shoots to bend out of their way. "Do you even need to _breathe_?"

"No," Rukia stated simply. "It comes with the ectoplasm…and the strait-laced ancestor head."

Momo laughed. "Is he really that bad?"

"Like you wouldn't believe! Man, I feel sorry for the Hinamori generation that was alive when he was!" Rukia leant up from her lounge and banged her tiny fist down in self-agreement. Momo cried out in pain. "Oops, sorry."

Momo scowled and rubbed her head, but the pain and irritation quickly passed. "But weren't you a guardian when he was alive?"

"Not at that time, thank heavens! Actually, the Hinamori family has several lots of guardians. You know, because lots of them married these big-shots and _their _guardians became _our _guardians and on and on." Rukia waved her hand around in lazy circles like a movie reel to further strengthen her point. "So every few centuries we swap."

"Is that allowed?" Momo was genuinely interested. She wasn't even keeping an eye on where she was going.

"Well we're not dead yet."

"Well technically you're not alive."

"Well then if I'm not alive, maybe you're crazy because you're seeing small, floating dragons!"

"Well–AHHH!"

Their budding argument ended when Momo found herself flat on the ground. She looked back and saw a small, innocent rock half-buried in the ground. Mumbling incoherently, she picked herself up and brushed at her clothes, red-faced. Rukia was occupying herself laughing. Momo decided to ignore her. She looked up; they were at the lake.

"Now which way to the hot springs," she said more to herself as Rukia was still laughing. She turned her head and spotted the familiar patch of reeds. "Ah! That way!"

She pushed her way through the reeds with Jin following close behind. He snorted in annoyance when the damp reeds clung onto his skin. The splashing sounds their feets created sounded out of place, as the air was previously still and silent. Very soon, Momo saw the wavering steam rising up into the sky. She quickened her pace and burst through the last of the reeds.

"Yay-"

She clamped a hand over her mouth and looked up at Rukia. The small guardian needed no interpretation and silently took off. Momo saw her make a small circuit in the air before returning.

"No one else is here."

Momo let her hands relax. She guided Jin over hear a growing gingko tree and made sure he was occupied with nibbling on the grass before walking back. As the lengthy reeds on one side and the rising sections of hot springs on the other side offered sufficient privacy, Momo openly stripped off all her clothes. The steam made the air here a few degrees warmer, so she enjoyed it for a few moments before easing herself into a hot spring.

"Don't take too long," Rukia warned. "You have to get up early tomorrow."

"I know…I know…" she replied sleepily.

Momo was already loosing herself in the pleasant waters. The aches throughout her body were beginning to dull and it felt very satisfying. Her eyes were closed and her breathing became few and far between. The subtle noises of her surroundings began to flow into her ears: the early crickets pulling a few notes, the winds passing through the reeds like a viper, and a faint jingle.

The distant jingle stayed in her mind, forcing everything else out. A crease formed between her eyebrows as she tried to hone into it, to recognise it. She concentrated, and she swore she could hear the slightest of laughter. From nowhere, an image of red lanterns, steamed dumplings and market stalls entered her mind. Her eyes snapped open.

"Momo? What's wrong?" Rukia asked, frightened by her sudden movement.

She put a silencing finger to her lips. "Shh."

Little by little the noise became more pronounced, though it was still distant. It sounded like a town as nearby and Momo was curious. She rose and quickly dried herself off. She put on her fresh set of clothes and hid her sweat-sodden ones behind the tree Jin was stationed at. She stroked the side of his golden face, and he nuzzled her, as if he knew she was going to take off.

"Good boy. Stay here, alright Jin?" she said in a gentle tone. "I'll be back later."

She turned around, hair swaying in the breeze, and jogged off. Following the distant noises proved difficult, but after stumbling through a few lengths of uneven grounds, the noise began to become clearer. When Momo pushed her way through a particularly large patch of reeds, she found a trail. Excitement overtook both Momo and Rukia, and Rukia – having the advantage of being able to fly – sped ahead.

Momo eagerly ran down the trail and soon reached the front entrance to a quaint village. Hovering a safe distance from curious eyes, Rukia floated back down on Momo's head, looking like a doll.

"Say, we came here during the right time!" Rukia exclaimed, eyeing the red festival lanterns appreciatively. "I'm sure tomorrow's training will keep you awake, so let's party!"

"Of course," Momo sighed, humoured. "If there's a festival then it doesn't matter what time I have to go to sleep, ne?"

"Of course," Rukia mimicked matter-of-factly. "Now! Onwards!"

Momo couldn't help but laugh, for she was just as excited as the dragon perched upon her head. The village was small, but it had that warm, homely ambience – doubled in the present setting of a festival. Momo walked slowly on the wide dirt streets lined with market stalls. Strings of red lanterns hung everywhere. They exuded a soft light, and in addition, their light attracted numerous fireflies to gravitate around them.

Not only were her eyes entranced, but the smells! The smells were intoxicating! It was as if the aroma wafting from the many food stalls wrapped around her, physically drawing her in. There were so many mouth watering foods: steamed dumplings filled with seasoned pork and ginger, roasted walnuts, hazelnuts and pine nuts, and her personal favourite, open-fire lamb spiced with Sichuan pepper. They even had some of the more exotic dishes: cooked jellyfish with cinnamon, and even meat from a Bactrian camel!

All of the villagers were dressed in fine clothes: the females in beautiful patterned ruquns, and the males in striking zhijus. Rarely ever did their eyes linger impolitely upon Momo. If they did then they took no notice of Rukia; only wondering why she was wearing such plain looking clothes. It wasn't offending and every person Momo talked to were all smiles and extremely kind. Such a happy village.

"Aw, I can't believe we didn't bring any money!" Rukia complained after they passed a very tempting stall selling preserved pomegranates.

"You can eat?" Momo asked, shocked.

"One of the many perks being a guardian. And none of it goes to my hips."

"Or anywhere else, I bet."

Momo lost track of how long she was there for. She was simply amazed with everything. Rukia took in everything with simple pleasure as she blindly braided strands of Momo's hair. Eventually, they found themselves walking up a raised portion of the village. It was much like a small hill, and there was one lone watch tower situated on the top. Everything else was left for nature to design. As such, even nearing winter, small violet wildflowers grew amid the still pliant grass.

There weren't many people here – just an elderly couple leaning against the wooden supports of the tower. Momo chose a patch of grass on the opposite side of the tower and sat so her back was facing theirs. Folding her arms behind her head, Momo leant back and stared up at the cloudless skies. Rukia flew down to her own patch of grass and copied Momo's pose.

"This is nice," Momo mused. "It feels like back home, when I used to lie on the roof during summer nights."

"I've never done this before…it _is _nice."

A single tear rolled unexpectedly down Momo's cheek. It took a second for her to comprehend the wetness on her face.

"Oh!" She clamped her hands over her mouth to stifle a strangled sob. "I'm…I'm so sorry!"

Rukia swiftly shot up from her relaxed pose. "Are you okay? Momo?"

"Y-yes, I'll be just fine." Momo kept her hands over her mouth as she took in a couple of deep breaths. Finally, she lowered her hands and cracked a wistful smile. "I guess I'm just a little homesick."

"Hey! No worries!" Rukia flew up into Momo's line of vision and gave her a thumbs up. "You've still got me here! I'm part of your family, so it's like you'll always have a piece of home with you! Heck, we only met yesterday but we're seeing this through together, just like you said."

"Yes…yes, thank you Rukia. I'm glad my family sent you to guide me. I couldn't ask for a better guardian."

There was the briefest of pauses after those words left Momo's mouth.

"Y-yes," Rukia replied a little too weakly. She flew into Momo's chest and gave her a hug before her eyes could betray her. "No better guardian…"

"Momo?"

Both girls stiffened at the voice of a newcomer. Momo looked up, still pressing Rukia tightly to her chest. Toshiro looked down at them, wearing a plain zhiju. Nevertheless, he looked gorgeous. The wind had swept his hair into angled soft peaks that slightly covered his eyes. It gave him a mysterious and alluring look.

"C-captain?!"

As soon as that word left her mouth, she realised how incredibly stupid it was. How was anybody else besides the people in the camp supposed to know that he was a captain? Her heart started to palpitate; great, now there was going to be an interrogation.

However, he didn't seem fazed and calmly sat down next to her.

"For such a small village, nothing can escape its ears," he said nonchalantly. "I was surprised at how quickly the people of Dixiao knew I became Captain…but you don't have to call me that."

He looked up at the stars, sitting with an arm propped limply on his bent knee. A silence fell and it was awkward for Momo. She couldn't go back to staring at the stars like he was so calmly doing. Her eyes roamed at the person sitting besides here, never stopping too long on one place. They finally rested on the grassy space between them, with his hand taking up almost half of it. It suddenly moved.

"Sorry,' he said while moving further away from her. He had misinterpreted her staring as an intrusion to her personal space.

Momo didn't respond and her eyes wound back up at the stars. Strangely enough, tranquillity washed over her and she was able to relax her pose. Still staring up, she asked, "Toshiro Hitsugaya, right?"

She saw him nod out of her peripheral vision and continued. "I know we just met, but tell me about yourself."

"What do you want to know?" He too was staring up.

"Anything that comes to mind."

"…I'm not very talkative."

Momo laughed. "No one is born talkative. I think some people take silence for granted. They just have this need to fill every silence with noise." She smiled. "This is nice, peaceful."

A strange mutual agreement was made and neither of them talked for a while. The full moon shone gently down upon the pair, coupled by the twinkling stars that hung like nature's own little lanterns. Faint smells, enough to please but not to tempt, flowed from the village. Breezes came and went, none strong enough to carry a chill.

Toshiro broke through the silence. "What's your favourite season?"

"Autumn. It's when things strive to be their best before winter settles. Sometimes they fail, but when they succeed…it's wonderful."

For another while, silence reigned, until Momo broke it. "Why did you come sit next to me, if you're not talkative?" she asked, not unkindly.

"…You're different."

"And is that a bad thing?"

"I don't know."

* * *

Next update: tomorrow


	12. One of Them

**Chapter 10 – One of Them**

*****

_**Training Camp**_

*****

One week had passed since Momo arrived on camp. Training was gruelling, but to Momo's delight she had found some improvement, if only a little. Her limbs no longer felt heavy with ache at night when training was over, just as they would have three days ago. That wasn't to say she had changed her mind about Toshiro's regime being insane though. He was pushing them harder than ever, barking orders, snapping at every little thing.

Momo could see the slight resemblance between the 'Captain' and 'Toshiro', but found herself intrigued by his personality changes. True, one never acts the same way towards different people, and he didn't seem like an entirely new person. He showed her that he was strong and firm, yet kind and loyal. However, it was difficult to focus on his more charming qualities when he was yelling in her ear.

"Faster, soldiers!"

Toshiro did not need to look back to know that the new recruits were not keeping up to pace. They were running through the craggy terrain near Xialonghe. If the loose rock fragments didn't slow them down, the unusual steepness of its slopes sure did. The closest recruit to Toshiro was at least ten meters away, struggling up a particularly steep slope. It was mid-morning, and this was their warm-up.

After effortlessly running through a shallow yet wide ditch, Toshiro spotted the fringe of the bamboo forest on the horizon. He stopped on top of a small precipice jutting out a meter over the ground. The ground was elevated, allowing him to see how the recruits were faring. Not good – they were meandering through the crude trail, slow as snails.

"If you all don't make it back to camp in the next fifteen minutes, training will be extended by one hour!"

Immediately, he turned and continued at his quick pace. The recruits were left to internally groan, as they were too out of breath to do anything else with their mouths but breathe. However, Toshiro's threat had the desired effect, and they willed their legs to move.

By the time they reached the camp, Toshiro was sitting on top of the small wooden watch tower looking quite bored. Momo was one of the last few recruits that staggered into the camp, but thankfully they had all made it back in time. They spent the rest of the morning doing their daily warm-ups (by now Toshiro pushed the repetitions to two hundred). Today's training consisted of sparring, controlling war rocket trajectory and stick-work, much to Renji's chagrin. He never did get over their first lesson, where he was paired up with Momo and had received a brutal beating.

*****

_**Xialonghu  
**__**Hot Springs**_

*****

"You're looking less beat up Momo," Rukia noted as she scrubbed Momo's hair. "Is Captain-san going easy on you or what?"

"Really, Rukia." Momo feigned a look of insult. "Can't I just be improving?"

"Oh, I didn't think of that!"

"Thanks."

Momo rolled her eyes, but her smile stayed in place. She toyed with the small shampoo bottle that was sitting near the edge of the hot spring. Yesterday night Momo went into the village of Dixiao to purchase a few necessities. She'd wanted a nice floral shampoo, but Rukia insisted that it would make her smell too feminine. Momo insisted that after a day's training, the only thing anybody would be able to smell was sweat. Rukia won.

"Where _is_ your head?!" Rukia yelled. Both her arms were swallowed up entirely into the depths of Momo's hair, which piled up because of the shampoo. She was wearing only her undergarment; the many layers of her ruqun lay near Momo's own clothes.

"Hey, you volunteered, no complaining," Momo shot back. "Thanks, Rukia," she added as an afterthought.

"You're very welcome. I am, after all, probably doing a better job than you would have."

"You and your big head. I'm amazed you can float with that ego."

"All part of my charm…wait, do you hear something?"

Rukia stopped scrubbing and tilted an ear towards the cloudless skies. Momo opened her eyes and listened. For a minute, nothing but the crickets flowed into her ears, but then…

"They're over this way."

"Are you sure Izuru? Don't get my hopes up here."

"I say we just tear through this place till we find it!"

The gruff voice of Renji was unmistakeable; the owner of the other two voices must've been Izuru Kira and Shuuhei Hisagi. Their voices sounded frighteningly close, and if to further panic her, Momo could hear them pushing through the reeds.

"Quick!" Rukia hissed.

Momo did not need to be told twice. She scrambled up the ledge and into another hot spring – one that wound around a large rock that made for a good hiding spot. Rukia shoved every piece of feminine evidence into a corner and produced a thick shrub to conceal them. No sooner than Rukia zipped up to join Momo, Izuru tumbled into the clearing, followed closely by Renji and Shuuhei.

"Nice." Shuuhei eyed the steaming water appreciatively. "When'd you find this?"

"About two days ago."

Izuru walked over to the gingko tree and slung his towel over a low branch. When he turned around, he was met with a face full of Shuuhei's towel. He slung that on the branch as well. Renji didn't bother. As soon as he set eyes on the hot spring, he began to take off his clothes in a frenzy. A second later and he was in the spring, letting out a content groan.

"Yep, hits the spot right there."

"Shove over, Renji."

Shuuhei stepped into the hot spring and gave Renji a large shove, claiming the comfortable spot in the small nook. Renji grumbled but otherwise moved silently over to the opposite curve. Izuru lowered himself without any commotion. This hot spring was large enough to adequately house six people.

Momo sighed irritably and went to slap her head, forgetting her close proximity to the three males. When her hand made an odd squelching noise, she realised her hair was still sudsy with shampoo froth. As quietly as she could possibly manage, she sunk into the water until her face was just resting above the surface. She ran her hand through the floating strands, and the suds drifted away.

Rukia was sitting on the rock, keeping watch. Momo let her body float on the water as she stared up into the star field. She picked out the North Star and then traced her eyes along the Big Dipper. The voices of her three fellow recruits were muffled out by the water surrounding her ears. They were nothing more than a distant, incoherent mumbling. It was relaxing.

Mental images of going off to war and returning to her family victorious flashed through her mind. The cheering crowds and the fireworks, the grand celebration in Chang'an for the defeat of China's greatest threat – she began to unconsciously grin. As she became lost within her imagined details of the festive streets, her mind made a sharp turn. She found herself back at Dixiao, sitting next to Toshiro on that peaceful night.

The reflection of that night was as clear as one in a polished mirror. Her eyes unfocused and she was only vaguely aware of the star-sprayed black that stretched above. Over and over again, their conversation played in her head, and she realised her heart yearned for more. She wanted him to speak to her with that soft voice no one else in the camp knew he was capable of. She longed for the knowledge that he was there, sitting near her, and she craved for the peaceful stretches of silence.

Her eyes started to focus back into reality when a flying something-a-rather suddenly flew into her vision. With a startled gasp, she lost her composure and felt her body go under. She was up a second later, gasping for air and creating many attention-grabbing splashes, unintentionally of course.

"What was that?" she heard Izuru say. "Did you hear that splashing?"

"Yeah…do you think somebody else is here?"

"Nah! A wild bear probably fell into the springs!"

"Idiot, can't you hear it breathing?" – Momo covered her mouth – "That doesn't sound like a bear. C'mon, let's go check it out."

Momo heard the sound of water splashing down and silently swatted the back of her hand in Rukia's direction, telling her to hide. Rukia had no choice, she couldn't let herself be seen. Momo waded further down the bend around the rock. This hot spring was fairly large; maybe she could stay unnoticed after all. She heard the trio climb up and splash into the water. Her head sunk until her nose was all but touching the steamy surface.

"There's nothing here," Renji complained.

"Put up or shut up. We haven't even looked yet."

Momo pressed her back against the rock and kept her eyes firmly fixed at the landscape in front of her. From the noises, she could judge roughly how close they were, but had no way of telling if she was still hidden from their eyes. In any case, she was definitely NOT going to check. Not even a peek. Because if the waters reached her waist when she stood up, she shuddered to think of what would be exposed if three males all _taller _than her walked around in the same level of water. The steam didn't cover everything, or else she would have made her escape long ago.

'_Go away. Go away, go away, go away,' _she sang in her head.

"Oi, Izuru!" Renji threw his voice all the way over to Izuru, who was poking around in a patch of reeds. "Any drowned bears over there?"

"No. Shuuhei?"

"Nope. Let's go back then. My shoulder's starting to ache again." Shuuhei rotated his left shoulder. A bone popped. "Tch. I don't see the Captain doing all those push ups."

Renji grinned. "Outta shape after a few measly push-ups, Shuuhei?"

"You wish," he scoffed back. "This shoulder's always been deformed, and yet I still managed to beat you in sparring yesterday. Imagine that, beaten by a cripple."

"Yeah, well who's the one who beat you in archery, eh?!"

"Izuru. And he beat you too."

"…Dammit, I forgot 'bout that." Renji raised his right arm in the arm wrestle position. "Let's settle this the old fashioned way!"

To Momo intense relief, the voices started to become distant. Trust the most trivial of matters to distract a male. Cautiously, she turned around and swiftly looked around. There was no one. Breathing a sigh of relief, she began to slowly make her way back to her original position. Now the only problem left was waiting until they all returned to camp so she could retrieve her clothes–

"Hey, Ichigo."

Momo fell beneath the waters for a second time. Thankfully, when she surfaced, only her head broke through the waters. She coughed and spluttered; her throat felt rough after water went down the wrong passage. Izuru had his head poked around the rock, giving Momo a perplexed look. She fervently thanked her ancestors that only his upper torso was exposed.

"Urm…h-hi, Izuru?"

"Who're you're talking to?" Renji yelled. Momo heard the other two make their way over. Soon, Renji's voice was over her head. Her back stiffened. "Oh, it's just Ichigo."

"Yeah," Momo mumbled, keeping her eyes firmly on the rippling water.

"Well…you and Renji seem to know each other." Izuru stuck out his hand. "Nice to meet you, Ichigo. I'm Izuru Kira, but you probably already knew that."

Momo smiled tentatively and shook his hand. He seemed like a nice guy; that's more than she could say for that red-haired buffoon crouching on the rock behind her. Suddenly, something fell into the water on her right, sending a wave of water crashing into her head. When she turned around, Shuuhei was sitting next to her. He too, stuck out his hand.

"Shuuhei Hisagi."

She gave it a small shake. "I-Ichigo – Hinamori."

Shuuhei dropped his back against the rock and closed his eyes. His face was tilted slightly up, as if he was taking in the scent of the springs. Renji jumped over their heads and took up a spot directly across from Momo, leaving her caged in between a rock and three guys.

"Just you wait Ichigo," Renji started, "till we get onto sword fighting. You and your sissy stick won't stand a chance."

Instinctively, Momo rolled her eyes. Renji's pompousness made her forget she was sitting with a group of males with the outcome of getting caught screaming in her face. Of course, trust Renji to do that.

"Please, a sword and a stick virtually require the same movements." She grinned. "And _I _wasn't the one who nearly took out the captain's eye during the first lesson."

Izuru and Shuuhei laughed, and Renji turned a lovely shade of red. They all remembered that lesson well. Renji – being Renji – was busy swinging his sword around like a crazed man. Toshiro came over to stop him and nearly lost an eye when Renji made a wild stab. Of course, Toshiro's captain-level reflexes saved him and as punishment, he ordered Renji to run three laps around the camp…in five minutes.

"Oi, who beat you in sparring, you little shrimp."

"I'd hardly call a sparring match between you and me fair." She waved the air like she was sweeping the argument away. "I'm not the one on steroids."

"Say, how exactly did you two meet?" Izuru interrupted.

"Hmph. I met this idiot out in the fields"

"Hmph. I met this shrimp out in the fields," Momo and Renji said simultaneously while jerking their thumb in the other's direction.

"Hey!" they both yelled. "What'd you say?!" They pointed accusing fingers at each other, looking outraged. "You heard what I said!"

Shuuhei let out a rough laugh. "You got off easy, Ichigo. I had the unfortunate luck of growing up with Lipsticks."

Momo grimaced in sympathy. "Ah, you win." She slyly narrowed her eyes towards Renji. "Lipsticks, huh? That's a nice, masculine name. I think I'll call you that from now on, Lipsticks."

"What the hell?! I don't hear you provoking any one else!"

"Firstly, they don't annoy me half as much as you do. Secondly, you're so easily provoked that you're practically asking for it…Lipsticks."

Momo could virtually see the red travel up Renji's face like it was a thermometer. He was shaking so badly, she couldn't tell if the bubbles were caused by the earth or him. Without warning, Renji stood up and jabbed a finger in Momo's face. "Alright smart-ass, we're settling this with a fight!"

Reflexively, Momo squeezed her eyes shut and her hands flew up to cover them. "Hey! Don't you have any shame?! Don't go flashing around whenever you feel like it, dumbass!" she yelled.

Everything went silent.

"…What. The. Hell? Why are you acting like you don't own any of these?" Renji asked, truly confused.

Momo's eyes widened behind her hands. '_Dammit! I'm meant to be a freaking guy! But I'm still a girl! Argh! Damn you Renji!!'_

She had no choice; Momo lowered her hands and inched open her eyes while keeping pupils downwards. She could feel the three pairs of eyes staring at her, waiting for an answer. Thankfully, she was spared from answering when Toshiro walked out from the steam, stopping a few inched short from the edge of the hot springs.

And ironically, Renji, Shuuhei and Izuru all shot up, giving Toshiro a respectful salute.

* * *

Next update: ASAP


	13. Fallen Soldiers

**Chapter 11 – Fallen Soldiers**

*****

_**Xialonghu  
**__**Hot Springs**_

*****

If there was ever a right time where one could just disappear into thin air, now was that time. And how Momo wished she could do just that! But of course, she couldn't, and she couldn't just sit there silently. She felt his eyes boring into her and his air of command was like a wave of nausea. How would she get herself out of this one?

"_Oh these? Don't mind them; they're just two things called breasts. One in every five males have them."_

Life was cruel.

"U-urm, s-sorry, Captain!" Momo saluted upwards to Toshiro, who looked aggravated from her insolence. "Um…leg cramp! Y-yeah! Ow." And she pointed towards where her legs would be to emphasise her point.

"Don't stay here too long, soldiers," he replied. "I will not tolerate anybody falling asleep during my training sessions."

Toshiro dismissed them with a lazy flick of his wrist and disappeared back into the steam. Renji, Shuuhei and Izuru all sat back down.

"Why was the Captain here?" Shuuhei questioned.

"Maybe he was just in the area." Izuru shrugged. "He's human too."

"Maybe in some wacked-up 6-D world! I mean this is the only time we get off!" Renji slouched further down into the water. "And I'm going to use this time to relax. Maybe the rest of you should head off and do some extra training."

"Don't talk big, you lazy jackass."

"Maybe you should train yourself, Renji. …I would like to have a match against you that lasts more than three minutes."

"I was holding back. You guys wouldn't last half a second if I didn't."

Shuuhei got up and shoved Renji. "You wanna bet?"

"Yeah, that would be fun. Bring it, Mr. I'm-so-bad-I-have-a-69-on-my-face!"

Izuru sighed. He didn't really want a fight like this to break out. The other two were thrashing through the water, disrupting the once relaxing atmosphere. Both were swearing so badly Izuru wouldn't be surprised if his ears bled. He turned around.

"Hey, Ichigo. Should we bre-huh? Where'd he go?"

*****

"That…_that _was way too close," Momo huffed. She hastened to push the slender reeds away. They bent back, slapping themselves onto her skin. One latched itself halfway up her arm – it felt like a sweat-drenched hand. She spent five agitated seconds trying to fling it off, and ended up tearing it to shreds. "Argh! Stupid Renji! Stupid Toshiro!"

"Woah, easy there Momo." Rukia shook off one of the reed remains that landed on her head. "Don't want the whole world hearing."

Momo clambered over a rock and jumped down onto the packed dirt near the bank of Xialonghu. Rukia waved her arms and a large flower bloomed out from the ground. It opened its petals and yielded all of the items Rukia had concealed away in the shrubs near the hot springs. Momo, still mortified from recent events, did not feel any curiosity prick up. She tucked in the last fold of her shirt_, _walked over to the gingko tree where Jin was stationed, and buried her head into the rough, ebony bark.

"I've never been so embarrassed, Rukia," she moaned. "They probably think I'm a girl now."

"But you _are _a girl."

Another moan escaped her lips and she banged her head against the trunk.

*****

_**China  
**__**Northern Plains**_

*****

"Soldiers, halt!"

Jushiro threw out his hand, causing Ikkaku's stallion to rear up and neigh in protest. Iba pulled on his own reins and soon the entire imperial army came to a standstill. After two weeks of howling winds and rapidly declining temperatures, the base of the Honshu Mountains was finally in clear sight. Surely by now, the Chao were on the other side preparing to make their ascent.

The sun had just started to settle between two large pinnacles, fringing the hazardous crags with a golden line. Pregnant clouds loomed overhead, as if the only thing keeping them at bay was the retiring star. Over the past few days they had experienced some minor hail, and often when they woke, everything – the grass, their tents and smothered campfires – was veneered in a thin layer of frost. Winter was settling in, and the Northern Plains were hit hard. It would be suicide to even attempt to proceed through the Mountains after a day of travel without rest.

Jushiro quickly scanned through the darkening environment. "We will have to find a place to rest for the night." His eyes caught sight of the wide space beneath a stretch of jutting mountain. "Let's go."

"Yes, sir!" Ikkaku turned his head around and motioned towards the others. "This way! Move it!"

The sound of the many horseshoes pounding against the ground was like thunder, though it sounded dull against the true rumbles. Heavy drops started to fall. Soon the imperial army found itself caught in a ferocious storm. Clouds crackled ominously before discharging lightening, followed seconds later by loud claps of thunder. The world was bleak.

"This must be the third storm we've been caught in!" Ikkaku swore very loudly when rain was blown directly into his eyes. "What luck!" he said sarcastically.

"No, we are indeed fortunate, Ikkaku. The Northern Plains are notorious for having far more storms during the wet season." Jushiro urged his horse to run faster against the opposing wind. "But now is not the time to protest against Mother Nature. We must hurry."

By the time the army found shelter under the cliff, their clothes were uncomfortably soaked through. As soon as Jushiro dismounted his white stallion, it shook its entire body. The flying water made no difference; everybody was too drenched to notice a few extra droplets.

Jushiro took off his helmet and placed it on the head of his stallion, who snorted a little in protest, and wringed his hair. He looked out and saw that a fair amount of soldiers were still coming in. The cavity under the cliff was nearly full.

"Iba." He turned towards his lieutenant general. "Gather all soldiers behind and including Commander Komamura and take shelter under the cliffs around the bend. There's not enough room for us all here."

"Right away, sir!"

He promptly steered his mount towards the bulky form of Commander Komamura. "Follow me!" he shouted through the raging gales.

Komamura fell one step behind Iba, making sure all soldiers under his command received the new orders. "Where are we going, Lieutenant General Iba?"

"There." He pointed out a second, smaller stretch of rocky shelter.

"Sir, we should let the men with the supply carts go first. We can't afford the war rockets to become wet."

"Yes, that's a good point, but we're nearly there. We can't stand here in the rain while we reorganise the soldiers." Iba pondered on the situation. "Commander, take half the soldiers including all the ones transporting the supply carts and find shelter in the forest."

A look of shock appeared on Komamura's face. "With all due respect, Lieutenant General, in this storm? We would be better off standing out in the open."

Iba shook his head. "The lightning has passed and the storm is starting to quell. It will be over soon enough. Besides, you may be in luck and find some dry wood to start a fire."

"Yes sir!"

Indeed, by the time Iba and Komamura found shelter, the once raging storm had diminished and soon was nothing more than a misty drizzle. However, the winds were still howling. Iba spent a good portion of an hour sorting out all the remaining soldiers under the limited space. It was uncomfortable doing anything in their wet clothes, but they had no other choice. They spent the rest of the night catching whatever sleep they could.

*****

When Iba awoke, the sky was overcast. Gingerly, he eased himself up, wincing when unexpected movements sent spasms of pain through his limbs. He doubted anybody found a good sleeping position.

"Everybody's still asleep," he murmured. He walked over to his stallion and rummaged around in one of the saddlebags. Something rising in the distance caught his eye; it was a stream of darkish grey smoke. "So he managed to start a fire after all."

He strapped the bag closed and mounted his stallion. Slowly, he guided his equine companion out into the soaked vegetation of the Northern Plains. He stopped, took off his dark sunglasses and wiped them before flicking the reins, sending him to the forest in a brisk trot.

Once inside, he slowed down once again and manoeuvred his way slowly through the trees. It wasn't a large or dense forest, but the ground was unstable enough with surface roots. He passed by a large tree with bittersweet nightshade trailing up its trunk. His eyes followed the web of green vines. Many of the purple flowers had long since wilted. A small black falcon was perched on one of the lower branches, peaking at the remaining few berries.

The camp site Komamura set up was easy to find. The commander had found a small alcove of trees that managed to keep the ground fairly dry. In the centre was a large, crackling fire with a cooking stand erected over it. Komamura was busy stirring a large pot of boiling water.

"Good morning, Lieutenant General Iba. You're up early," he greeted before busying himself with the pot again.

"It _is _a little hard to sleep when you're all but drenched."

Komamura let out a canine-like laugh. "Touché, Lieutenant General. We're lucky the forest is so large and that it didn't rain through the night. This is the only decent cover there is." He looked up wistfully at the semi-bare, tightly interwoven branches. "It would be nice to see this forest in the summer."

"Yes…" He looked around the alcove. "Where are the rest of the soldiers?"

"They're all still asleep. Barely the crack of dawn after all."

Iba nodded stiffly. "Better wake them up soon, Commander. We usually set out before the sun is even sitting on the horizon."

"Again, touché." Komamura stirred the water one last time before getting up. "Very well, the water is done anyway."

Iba slid off his stallion and fished out a small cup from one of the bags. "Mind if I have some?" he asked while holding the cup up for him to see.

"Take as much as you want. We've collected plenty from the night's rainfall and the fire's already hot enough."

"Then I'll take you up on that offer, Commander."

Iba knelt down in front of the bubbling pot and began to fill up his cup. Komamura disappeared through the trees, making his way through various parts of the forest where the soldiers were sleeping. The noise of his heavy footsteps remained long after he disappeared from view. The sounds of soft twittering filled the air, interrupted by a shrill bird's cry. Iba looked up and around to see the same black falcon up on an overhead branch.

"Why are you following me, little bird?"

The falcon gave an indignant cry and dove down. It spread its wings a foot from the ground, jostled past his head and flew over the pot onto an opposite branch. It made another high-pitched cry before flying off, shortly followed by the return of Komamura's footsteps. It was not five minutes ago that he had left the alcove.

"Very prompt," Iba noted. He got up and brushed at his clothes. "I'll be heading back. Join us as quickly as you can, but make sure every soldier is ready for the ascent."

"Yes sir!"

*****

"Ikkaku, are your soldiers ready?"

"Yes, General. They're all ready to start moving out."

Jushiro nodded. "Excellent. And you, Iba?"

"The half I was responsible for are all ready. The other half with Commander Komamura have yet to arrive." He scratched his head and looked around his shoulder. "I don't know what's taking them so long."

"This is unusual." A pronounced frown came onto the General's face. "Commander Komamura is hardly ever late. Iba, take Commander Kotsubaki and retrieve the rest of the soldiers."

"Yes sir!" But no sooner than Iba started to move forwards, he hastily pulled on the reins to stop. "General, I see Commander Komamura!"

Jushiro looked up and saw Komamura coming in, but something was wrong. Following the commander was only a handful of soldiers. As he came into view, Jushiro could see that Komamura was slouched over, barely staying on his stallion, an arm dangling limply off the side.

"Ikkaku, Iba, follow me! The rest of you, stay here!"

His stallion reared up and galloped towards the small assemblage of soldiers, his lieutenant generals following right behind. He could see the soldiers were going as fast as they could, but it was a sluggish pace with Komamura slowing them down. When they met up, he could hear Komamura's laboured breathing. Jushiro couldn't see his face, but imagined it to be drenched with sweat.

"Ikkaku, go help Commander Komamura! Iba, take two soldiers and head to the forest." He turned to the soldier nearest to him. "What happened?" he demanded.

"I don't know, General!" the soldier said. He looked frantically at Komamura's near lifeless form. "It's not only the Commander either! Most of them – most of them –" He gulped and pointed back in the direction they came from. "They're dying!"

Jushiro paled visibly and a look of complete horror dominated his face. Before he could say anything, there was a loud crash – Komamura had fallen off his stallion, nearly crushing Ikkaku beneath him. Immediately, Jushiro dismounted and made his way towards Komamura. When he knelt down in front of him, Komamura lashed out and grabbed the exposed cloth around his neck.

"General." Now that he was so close, Jushiro could hear the strain in his voice. His prediction was correct; Komamura's face was wet with moisture. The heat radiating off his body was like standing next to a furnace. But despite his obvious suffering, Komamura looked at him with narrowed, determined eyes.

"General," he rasped out again. "It's the – water – the water – poisoned." His hand became slack and his eyes rolled back, exposing the whites.

"General, look out!" Ikkaku yelled, dragging Jushiro back from Komamura. No sooner than he did, Komamura began to foam at the mouth, his bodily fluids splashing to the ground. A terrible gurgling noise filled the air, echoing deep inside each and every one of them because they knew they could do nothing to help him. Violent convulsions racked through his body – limbs shaking, unexpected thrashes scaring the horses – and then he fell dead.

* * *

Next update: pretty much in the next second


	14. Remembering Those Fallen

**Chapter 12 – Remembering Those Fallen**

*****

_**China  
**__**Northern Plains**_

_*****_

Time stood still as Jushiro, Ikkaku, and all other soldiers present looked at Komamura's lifeless body, mourning for him. After a one heavy and silent minute, Jushiro withdrew a small cotton cloth. Leaning over, he wiped Komamura's face free of sweat, saliva, dirt – anything that marred the face of a brave and loyal commander – and gently closed his eyelids. Komamura looked peaceful; he could've been sleeping. There was nothing that told of his agonising death.

Jushiro's eyes swept among the small assemblage of soldiers remaining. All the soldiers that came with the commander were all minors. He turned to Ikkaku.

"Ikkaku, take Commander Komamura's body and the rest of these soldiers back the resting spot. Put Captain Tsukabishi in charge and meet me in the forest." He mounted his stallion as Ikkaku acknowledged his commands. "And let no one disturb the Commander's body," he said with a steely voice before departing.

*****

_**Northern Plains  
**__**Forest**_

*****

Jushiro tore through the thin forest, avoiding collision with its trees due to years of experience. The hooves of his stallion left deep markings in the earth as it stampeded through the undergrowth. All the while, with the near-naked trees passing by as bland, greyish blurs, his mind was thrown into an unusual state of panic.

How did this happen?

He reached the small alcove – the source of the unpleasant turn of events – and pulled into an abrupt halt. Dirt flew everywhere. Without waiting for his stallion to come back down on all fours, he jumped off and walked swiftly over to Iba, who was standing near a collection of unmoving bodies, laid out in neat rows. He slowed down, eyes widening as he caught sight of lolling tongues, swollen throats and the whites of dead eyes.

"General, there was nothing any of us could do." Iba bowed his head in regret.

It felt as if something was lodged in his throat. Jushiro struggled to form coherent words. "H-How – how many?"

"Omaeda and Yamada are still searching for the rest of them. Aside from the few that accompanied the Commander…none survived."

Iba's head dipped down even further, but Jushiro turned around from him and the rows of the deceased, and made his way over to the campfire. The fire was extinguished, leaving nothing but a pile of charred wood and ashes, but the large cooking pot was still hanging. It was empty. Lightly, he pressed his fingers against the metal, dull from overuse, and found it was slightly warm. He lifted it up and inspected every surface. When he was certain that no information could be gained from it, he set it back down.

There was a sound of padding footstep and a moment later, Marechiyo Omaeda and Hanataro Yamada appeared in the alcove. Slumped over each of their backs was another body of a dead comrade. They carefully set them down next to the others.

"Lieutenant General Iba, these are the last two." Hanataro's eyes slid over and caught sight of Jushiro. "A-ah, G-general Ukitake! U-um – h-h-hello?"

Jushiro nodded in response, but he could not waste any more time on pleasantries. "Omaeda, Yamada, did you not drink any of the water."

"We did not," replied Marechiyo while Hanataro nodded profusely in agreement.

"Why did you not drink any of the water?" Jushiro questioned further.

"A-ah, s-sorry, General Ukitake – but some of u-us – slept in." Hanataro looked sheepish in admitting it.

"Very well then, today was your lucky day."

Jushiro questioned no further and resumed his search. He had no doubts that Marechiyo and Hanataro were telling the truth, but he couldn't afford to let his guard down. Something was missing.

As his eyes searched the grounds littered with bark, pebbles and decaying leaves, a large section of bright green caught his eye. He knelt down and brushed away at the dirt concealing the whole. It was a bright green leaf, arrow-head shaped – the one of bittersweet nightshade. Lying next to it was a small black feather.

Iba walked over. "General, what have you found?"

"The answer." Jushiro picked up the leaf and the feather. "This was Aizen's doing. This feather is his mark. He leaves it wherever he has caused suffering." He paused for a moment, staring intently at the items. "No, it is impossible that he was here, but I have heard stories about a pitch black bird that does his bidding."

"General! When I was here earlier, I saw a black falcon! Do you think that was it?"

"It is very possible. There are few birds in China with a black plumage." Jushiro drew himself back to full height with the leaf and feather in one hand. He picked the leaf out. "This is a leaf of a plant known as bittersweet nightshade. It is poisonous…but rarely fatal."

Iba remained silent, but the silence did not last long as Ikkaku came bursting into the clearing. Before Ikkaku could even dismount, Jushiro spoke. "I apologise, Ikkaku, but you will have to go back and have the rest of the army come here. A proper burial must be given to the fallen."

"B-but General." Ikkaku looked dumbstruck. "We can't afford to waste time. China is on the verge of being captured!"

"Ikkaku, we will not dishonour these soldiers by leaving their bodies here for people and animals alike to do as they wish with them. They will not be subjected to that."

"My – my apologies, sir."

*****

With the remaining army working together, the bodies of the deceased were all buried by midday. There was not enough room to bury them all in the alcove, so they spread them out like sentinels. Jushiro stood by the largest grave – the one of Commander Sajin Komamura – and faced his soldiers.

"The loss of so many lives is a tragic event, one that will never be forgotten, no matter how much we may want to forget. But let us keep this memory alive in our minds and use it to fight against the one who brought about this pain and suffering. Let us not forget that these men died to protect China, our homelands.

"While our numbers have fallen, our determination has not. Let us show Sosuke Aizen and his army that the imperial army is not to be taken lightly. We will not allow ourselves to be succumbed by this! We will not fight to our last breath, but we will fight and win! For the sake of our fallen comrades, for the sake of our friends and family, and for the sake of China, we will emerge victorious!"

The roar that followed was deafening. It scattered the birds into the air and made trees shiver. Every soldier was primed for battle, and for victory. Jushiro mounted his stallion, and with a thundering shout, led the imperial army charging towards the Honshu Mountains.

*****

_**China  
**__**Honshu Mountains**_

*****

Night had long fallen, but the biting temperatures did not fail to drop. The imperial army had no choice but to camp in the shadows of a large cliff. Luckily it did not snow. All they had to do was sweep away the thin layer of flakes that covered the frozen grounds. They had made tremendous progress, perhaps even more than usual. Jushiro's speech had endowed the soldiers with unmatchable determination.

The Honshu Mountains were quiet, with not even a distant owl's hoot, until the softest of footsteps broke it. Jushiro – previously sitting in the cover of darker shadows – had moved out into the open, where the dim moonlight was free to hit the earth. It exposed his troubled face.

Earlier – and it pained him to admit this – his speech had been purely to install hope back into his soldiers, and to stop fear and discord from infecting them. He had to give hope for his soldiers, for without it they would stand even less chance of surviving the inevitable encounter than they did now, with numbers reduced. It would do no good now, to tell them that chances were looking grim. So while his speech motivated his soldiers to no end (even the usually timid Hanataro, who was an able fighter, but an excellent healer), it failed to do the same for him. Being the general of China's main armed forces, he had seen and heard things beyond normal comprehension.

Sosuke Aizen: at the age of twenty he led a group of five into the small costal village of Jiang'he and obliterated it; aged twenty-six, his army expanded to five hundred, he conquered Yuan Bei, one of China's major trading cities; aged thirty and he made his first attack on Chang'an. In the end he was forced to retreat, but a heavy price was paid. Among the thousands and thousands of casualties, Jushiro's wife was one of them. He knew of the brutality Aizen possessed.

_Most of Chang'an was in flames, thick spirals of grey smoke rose perpetually into the sky, blackening it, befitting it for the events happening below. Red and orange consumed all it could, never full, greedily reaching out for more and leaving nothing but destruction behind. The roaring of the great fires were all but drowned out by screams of terror. _

_Streams of frightened citizens fought to find sanctuary outside the walls of the imperial capital. They weaved their way through narrow streets, alleyways between shops, avoiding falling debris by a hair's breadth. Some could not find the energy to continue, and hid behind or under the nearest available object, praying that they would make it through alive. Some managed to get themselves past the walls, with a portion being unfortunate enough to run into the men Aizen left stationed outside. Few survived those encounter._

"_Sajin!" Jushiro shouted, side-steeping and parrying a blow aimed for his ribs. "Sajin! Hold down the enemy here. They must not get further! Aizen is nearly at the palace. I have to intervene!"_

_Komamura knocked the sword away from the hands of his charging opponent and stabbed him through the chest. His opponent could not even stop himself from running into the blade; it protruded through his back, the cross-guard resting against his chest. Komamura pulled his sword out, quickly beheading another of Aizen's men before he could reply._

"_Yes sir!" _

_They were in the large square just in front of the imperial palace. Having taken care of the last wave of opposition, now was the opportune moment. Jushiro gathered the remaining soldiers in his battalion and led them up the flight of stairs. Ikkaku and Iba had taken off with the other half of his battalion earlier to defend the palace, but now that Aizen was drawing hear, the palace needed all the protection he could afford. The Emperor was inside._

_When he reached the top he did not expect to see his soldiers fighting more men from Aizen's army. He spat out a curse; they had climbed over the northern wall, the one right behind the palace._

"_Kurosaki! Take the nearest soldiers and go around back! Cut off every rope and force back any enemy!"_

"_Right away, sir!"_

_Jushiro led the rest of the soldiers into the battle raging in front of the doors. The assault was not terrible; both sides were a near even match, with the imperials gaining the upper hand. After having handicapped another enemy, Jushiro noticed an enshrouded figure making his way unnoticed towards the right side of the palace. He broke away and immediately followed the figure. He turned the corner and found the area strangely deserted save for the figure, who was swinging a grappling hook around._

"_Stop!" he yelled as he charged at the figure._

_With frightening accuracy, the figure threw the hook not up to the second floor balcony railing, but side on towards Jushiro's incoming blade, effectively throwing it off course. Instantly, he discarded the hook and unsheathed his blade, ready for the next attack. Jushiro charged, holding his blade in both hands with the intention of stabbing the lightly protected man. At the last second he evaded impalement by side stepping, thrusting out his own sword as a counterattack. Luckily it glanced off Jushiro's chest armour, creating nothing more than a horrible scraping noise, like fingernails on a blackboard._

_Their duel raged on, both sustaining minor cuts but neither being able to inflict any major wounds. Their swords clashed as they blocked each other yet again. Jushiro was forced to bring his sword behind him to block the following attack. He turned around but then fell to one knee. The enemy, seeing his chance, recklessly charged forward. The moment he drew his sword back for the fatal attack, Jushiro swiftly stood up, slashing at the left arm that was left exposed. _

_The small moment where his attacker winced in pain and surprise was all Jushiro needed to kick him in the abdomen, sending him skidding away. His sword flew out of his hands and spun into a nearby pillar. Now it was Jushiro who charged in for the final blow, but as he drew near his shoulder exploded in pain. An arrow was embedded in his flesh._

"_I'm afraid I cannot allow you to do that, General."_

_Aizen walked calmly forward, still holding up his bow, a fresh arrow already notched in place. Jushiro stood in place, stopped a few feet away from China's greatest threat by the arrowhead aimed at his face. Aizen smirked as the covered figure got up, shaking slightly and dripping blood on the ground._

"_Kudos to you, General," Aizen drawled. "I'm afraid I will have to retreat for now, but a parting gift."_

_He snapped his fingers and two men came, carrying a struggling figure between them. Jushiro's heart stopped as he saw that it was his wife, hands bound behind her back, clothes singed, with various nicks marring her skin. She caught sight him and cried out, "Jushiro! He's safe – he's safe, he's safe!"_

"_Emi!" Jushiro looked at Aizen and snarled like a beast. "Let her go. She has done nothing to you!"_

_He made to charge at him, but Aizen wagged a patronising finger. "Not so fast, General. We wouldn't want anything to happen to your lovely wife, now would we?"_

_Emi spat in his face and then several things happened in the span of a second. Aizen and his cohort quickly switched weapons, so that he was holding a small silver dagger. Jushiro fell to one knee, incapacitated further by the fresh arrow embedded in his thigh. Then he heard a scream – a long, anguished scream that had nothing to do with battle, but everything to do with him. It was his own tortured scream as he saw his wife fall, the hilt of the dagger gleaming from where her heart was._

_She had not even hit the ground when someone – he didn't know who – threw down a smoke bomb. They escaped under the cover of the thick smoke, leaving Jushiro with his lost bearings. He dislodged the arrow from his thigh – ignoring the stream of blood that followed – and blindly rushed forward, hoping that by some miracle he would make it to Emi in time._

_But even through the jumbled voices that pervaded through the air, he could hear her whispering her last words of love._

"_EMI!"_

The rugged landscape of the Honshu Mountains suddenly came back to him. He raised a shaking hand to his face and found tears frozen in place. It had been a long time since he thought back on that day. So many lives lost and so many injured. Ikkaku had suffered terrible burns all over his body, having been caught in the blast of a war rocket that went astray. The worst was inflicted upon his scalp, and to this day not a single hair regrew upon it. Iba had numerous cuts to his arms and torso, the most severe being twin gashes down his left arm. He was handicapped for weeks.

It had taken years for the survivors and Chang'an itself to recover. Indelible scars remained everywhere, both seen and unseen. Jushiro clenched his hands until his fingernails drew blood. Aizen must not be allowed to reach Chang'an! He must be stopped at all costs! A little shaken, Jushiro dug around in the saddlebags, withdrawing a clean bamboo scroll. He quickly wrote his note, tore if off and sent his messenger bird off to the skies.

* * *

Next update: next second


	15. The Truth

**Chapter 13 – The Truth**

*****

_**China  
**__**Dixiao**_

*****

"Toshiro!"

Momo waved from the top of the slope, down to the white-captain leaning against the entrance to Dixiao. She ran down the slope as quickly as she could while dressed in a stunning blue and white ruqun Toshiro had gotten for her just last week. She left her hair down, but adorned it with small butterfly clips. They glistened under the faint lights. She reached him, panting a little. "Sorry I'm late, Toshiro."

"There should be a penalty for keeping a captain waiting,' was his reply. He drew his hands out from the sleeves of his matching zhiju.

"Hmph." Momo pouted her lips and turned slightly away from him, folding her arms. "You're not _that _great," she lied.

He rolled his eyes but smiled nonetheless. He peeled himself away from the entrance and walked in, Momo following right behind.

Three weeks earlier, they had another chance encounter in the small village. Some might have called it fate. They whittled down the entire night with a pleasant stroll, sharing multiple games of 20 Questions. The end result had Momo turning up for training the next morning dishevelled and exhausted, but otherwise happy with the promise of another meeting secured.

Two, three times each week they met up, and by the end of the second week, both were feeling quite comfortable with each other. Toshiro no longer struggled for words and had taken to gracing her with smiles and playful teasing that was so contrary to that of "Captain Hitsugaya". Momo, and consequently Rukia, no longer worried about Toshiro (or anyone else for that matter) finding out about her not-so-little secret.

"Say, those roasted walnuts sure look delicious," Rukia whispered suggestively, well hidden behind Momo's hair. She always insisted on tagging along and there were only a few times when Momo had managed to persuade her otherwise.

"Don't even start on what you want, Rukia. I swear you are the most spoilt dragon I've ever met, being able to eat without any worries." Momo made sure to move her mouth as little as possible.

"Don't blame me if it came with the guardian spirit package, and I'm probably the only dragon you've ever met."

"True, but it still makes you the most spoilt."

"Talking to your little doll again?" Toshiro interrupted, sounding amused. Despite all of Momo's precautions, Toshiro noticed her talking to Rukia a few times. After a few interrogations Momo whipped out Rukia and proclaimed that she was talking to her childhood doll. The bemused expression on his face caused her to burst into a fit of giggles.

"Yup." Momo fished Rukia out (who immediately became limp), and held her out. "Do you want to talk to her?" she teased.

"No thanks. Why waste my breath on something inanimate?"

"Oh, Toshiro, don't go offending her. You'd be surprised at how much she understands."

"As much as my horse – OW!" A branch had fallen on his shoulder.

"Aw, now you've gone and made her mad."

Momo tucked Rukia not back in her usual place in the nape of her clothes, but into the white sash so that she was forced to remain limp, and most of all, silent. She could almost feel Rukia's glare burn into her and for a while had to contend with a constant pricking sensation. It wasn't terribly late, but the stalls were all in the process of closing down. Momo purchased a small bag of roasted walnuts and discreetly slipped one down to Rukia. Coincidently, the pricking stopped.

Toshiro and Momo leisurely walked around Dixiao, occasionally being greeted by the few people that were still out. However, when Momo started to have a sneezing and shivering fit, they walked back to the hot springs, where the hazy air provided warmth.

"So, are all your soldiers dead yet?" Momo teased as she sat down on a rock. She patted the space next to her and offered him one of the last remaining walnuts.

"No. I don't push them that hard."

Momo laughed. "Y'know, sometimes when you all run near Dixiao, I think the whole village can hear you yelling your head off."

"A little yelling never hurts, and it pushes my soldiers to their full potential." Toshiro popped the lukewarm nut into his mouth. "They'll become slackers if I don't."

"Really? I don't know. Sometimes I see soldiers train past midnight when they're meant to have their time off." She said this from previous experiences. On the nights where she didn't have any rendezvous with Toshiro, she, Shuuhei, Izuru and even Renji, would take to the various areas surrounding the camp and practise with each other. They became fast friends, albeit she and Renji still argued, but only petty squabbles just for the sake of it.

"Momo, what were you doing out at midnight?!" He sounded aghast.

"Oh, calm down! I'm a big girl and I can take care of myself, thank you very much! I've never been mugged or injured." '_Apart from all the injuries I get from training_.' Only recently she acquired a long but shallow gash down the length of her upper right arm. Luckily ruquns are long sleeved garments.

"Have you been spying on soldiers?"

"Of course not!" she scoffed. "Don't make me out to be some stalker!"

"I never said stalker, though now that you mention it…"

"Hmph, I just thought I'd tell you your men are pretty good." '_Well, most of them anyway.' _She sniggered when she thought back on her recent victory against Renji.

"Not good enough yet. They haven't reached their full potential yet. I know they can do much better."

"Why are you so determined?"

Toshiro looked wistfully down at the leathery husk that he was fingering around. "I want to make my father proud, give him a reason to smile, because for some reason he really affects those around him."

He paused, intent with toying around with the small husk in his hand.

"Toshiro?"

Momo looked at him with inquiring eyes, but he would not meet them. After a moment, he drew in a breath.

"He can inspire people in an instant, give them hope, make them forget all about pain and worry. But when he goes into a state of depression, it can make even the most confident of soldiers doubt themselves." The husk disappeared inside a clenched fist. "It was the worst when my mother was murdered."

"Toshiro." Tentatively, she placed her hand over his, and when it didn't flinch away, she took it in both her own. "Toshiro, I'm – I'm so sorry. You don't have to talk about it," she said meekly.

He shook his head. "When she was alive, my father was so happy. He told me once that it was my mother and I that made everyday blissful. While he inspired others, we inspired him. But I felt that I was always the lesser of the two, and it was proven when she died, because there was nothing that I could do to get through to him. Everyday I felt myself drifting further and further away. I thought that if I had died instead of my mother, then she would know exactly what to do.

"My father became inconsolable…and distant. While he still carried out his duties, he was no more than a shell, a shadow of who he once was. His eyes never seemed to be focused, always staring at something in the beyond. Every word that came out of his mouth was automatic and robotic. It became so bad the Emperor ordered that he take an indefinite leave of absence, and declared that if he did not recover soon, he would be dismissed from the army.

"I was barely seven at that time, but I knew that after my mother and I, the next thing he held in high esteem was his position. He wasn't power-hungry or arrogant, but he loved his position because it gave him the power to help his homelands. I didn't think he would be able to grasp the magnitude of that outcome until it was too late. I did everything I could until they all failed, and I was left with one last option. I was selfish, I didn't want to do it because it meant admitting that all along I really was second best, but it had the best…and the worst chance. I took him to my mother's grave."

The husk dropped and Toshiro covered his eyes. "For the first time in months there was emotion in his face, but it was grief and he was broken. I was…afraid he would go after her and leave me all alone, so I told him. I told him how my mother would've hated him if she were alive; hated him for abandoning the promise to his homelands and neglecting his duties.

"It worked; soon he was back to his old self. After a while he could go to my mother's grave with a true smile and tell her how things were going. He even switched his last name for her maiden name. But I couldn't help wondering whether it was me, or the mention of my mother that snapped him out of it. So even now, all these years later, I still strive to make him happy and proud because a part of me wants proof that it was _me_ who kept him here, not my mother. I had to feel needed, or else how could I justify my existence over hers? What would be the purpose of my existence? It's…it's shameful."

Despite his best defences, a few tears slid out. He couldn't bring himself to look at Momo after his revelation, but the strength to get up and leave did not come to him either. So he sat, turned away from her as best he could. Something warm left him: Momo's hand. So, now she couldn't stand him–

"It's not shameful!" she exclaimed with desperation.

Startled, Toshiro removed his hand and looked around at her. She herself looked on the verge of tears.

"It's not shameful," she repeated, "wanting to be needed by somebody! It's not, it's not! Everybody wants to know that they are needed somewhere, that they belong somewhere with people who accept them! No one can help feeling that because being alone is a very scary thing, even to imagine! So – so don't think like that, please, Toshiro!"

Momo flung her arms around Toshiro's neck and buried her face into his shoulder. She was crying. "D-don't think t-things like "I'm not need - needed" and "What's t-the point of me exist – existing". _I _need you, Toshiro. I don't even know why we didn't m-meet until now, because you're – you're one of my only true friends. I'm glad you exist, and Toshiro – Toshiro, I lo…I need you, I really do."

The tears wouldn't stop. All of Toshiro's loneliness, his struggles to find his purpose for existing, all of it struck Momo to the very core of her soul. Because she knew exactly how he was feeling and how very _terrifying _it is to feel as if you have no purpose for existing. Those words she shouted at him, she shouted them for herself too. Deep down she wanted someone to say those very same words to her.

"Yeah." Toshiro wrapped his arms around her back and drew her into a fierce embrace. "I need you too, Momo. I've been waiting for someone to say those words to me for a long time. And every minute I spend with you, I'm so happy." He slackened his hold and pulled away to look at her. "So, you'll be the reason for my existence?"

Through her tears, she smiled. She smiled with everything she had because she was waiting too. Toshiro dabbed the tears off her face and she to him, though there was a considerable less amount on his face. Then Momo tackled him to the ground in an exuberant hug. The rolled around in the damp ground and when their momentum was gone and they'd stopped, they started to laugh. They couldn't stop themselves and laughed without restraint. It just felt so good.

Moments later, when they had ran out of breath, they laid there, panting and staring up into the night with filtered moonlight shining on their bodies in patches. Toshiro and Momo stood up, brushing off their clothes. They stood close to each other and for the briefest moment, Momo's eyes shot from his eyes to his lips and back again. Toshiro kept his gaze on her, and slowly started to tilt his head in. Just as they were about to meet, all of the hope in his eyes disappeared. He hugged her tightly.

"Well…I'll see you in two days, same time same place?" he asked as he drew away.

"Y-yeah," Momo replied weakly.

"Until then."

Momo stood watching his retreating back, until it was swallowed up by the haze. "Until then," she whispered.

"Oh, what's this all about?" Rukia shot up into the air, stretching out all her limbs. "Getting lovey-dovey with the captain?"

"I-I was not! We're just friends! Just friends! And I even told him that too!"

"Then why is your face as red as Lipsticks?"

"B-because it's really hot around here, a-and I'm going to cool off in the lake!" It was a quick walk to where Jin was stationed between Xia Long He and the hot springs. She quickly fished out a towel, but as soon as she crossed the threshold into the frigid winter air, she turned around. "No, I'm not! I'm going into the hot springs!"

A highly amused Rukia drifted behind. "Ah, young love. So entertaining."

*****

_**Training Camp  
**__**Captain's Tent**_

*****

Toshiro lifted the flap into his tent, nearly tripped over his sword lying haphazardly on the ground and walked towards the small desk near his sleeping mat. On the desk was a small, rolled up note with the crest of the imperial army on it. He hastily unfurled it.

_Toshiro,_

_Our numbers have fallen and things are not looking well for us. By the time you read this, most likely we will have already traversed halfway up the Honshu Mountains. I will lead the imperials and take down as many of the Chaos as we can, but I must face reality. With our numbers reduced we may not make it out alive. Toshiro, you must depart for the Honshu Mountains as soon as possible. Time is running out and Aizen has only grown stronger over the years. I fear that if he reaches the Imperial City this time, China will be under his rule._

_I have no doubts that if my army fails to defeat the Chaos, yours will surely emerge victorious. The only difference we share is age. You have the skills, the abilities and the heart befitting of a General. I am sure your mother is very proud of you, as am I._

_Let us celebrate China's victory from the earth and heavens._

The note was crushed inside Toshiro's fist. "Dammit! Don't you dare die on me, father!"

*****

_**Xialonghu  
H**__**ot Springs**_

*****

"Quit shoving, Renji!" Izuru cried out, detaching himself away from the tree he was slammed into.

"Sorry," Renji grunted, "but it's hard to see around here."

"Stop your yapping, Lipsticks. You'll cause a scene!"

"Who's the one yapping now?"

"You are!"

"No, you are!"

"You are!"

"You are!"

"You are!"

"You–"

"You both are!" Izuru sighed. "Why can't we ever go to the hot springs in peace?" he murmured to himself.

"Hey, anyone know where Ichigo is tonight?" Shuuhei asked, looking around as if Momo would suddenly appear. "He disappears randomly."

"Maybe he's having a secret affair!" Renji snickered. "El Capatino would get a kick outta that!"

The air temperature changed and they knew that they were in the vicinity of the hot springs. Everything was as usual, except the sound of humming that floated through the air. The three friends stopped to listen; it was soft and lovely.

"Hey! There's a girl here!" Renji exclaimed in an excited whisper.

"I bet it's one of the girls from Dixiao," Izuru concluded.

Shuuhei rubbed his chin. "Hm…I hope it's that cute blond one."

"Do you think she's in the hot springs?"

"Probably, I mean why would people come here? To sit on a rock?"

"Well what are we waiting for?!"

"Guys, I don't think we should – h-hey! Come back!"

Renji and Shuuhei stealthily made their way through the area, with a reluctant Izuru trailing behind. They pushed their way through a clump of reeds and nearly fell into the hot spring. The humming was loud and clear, but they couldn't see anything because of all the steam. The humming stopped and Renji squinted through the steam.

"I think I can see someone just over there."

"Really? I can't see a thing," Shuuhei said, looking in the other direction.

"I'm not sure if I want to be caught seeing anything," Izuru moaned.

"Don't be such a wuss, Izuru. Hey! The steam is clearing up a bit!"

Renji and Shuuhei leant forward hopefully, nearly blowing their cover within the reeds. Their faces became crestfallen when they say Momo's head bobbing in the waters.

"Aw, it's only Ichigo. Man, he still got that cut."

Izuru raised an eyebrow. "So…you spy on men in hot springs now?"

"Shut it, Izuru. That was defiantly a girl humming before. How many guys do you know hum, right Shuuhei?"

"Definitely was a girl."

"Wait a minute." Renji stuck his head back through the reeds, looking at Momo. "If we heard a girl humming before, and it was louder here, and Ichigo's here–"

"That means Ichigo's having a secret affair!!" the three of them finished in startled whispers.

"Hey now, so maybe we can meet the mystery girl after all!" Renji said.

"Where'd you get THAT idea from?" asked Izuru.

"Well we'll just go up there to Ichigo and he'll tell her we're his friends and there you have it!"

"She better not be that cute blond one," Shuuhei grumbled.

"Or the green-haired one." Shuuhei and Renji turned back, looking at Izuru with shocked expressions. "What?! She was nice, okay?!"

The three of them stuck their head through the reeds. Momo was sitting in the water, turned only slightly away from them. Renji rubbed his hands together. "Right, action time." But before he could yell out to Momo, she stood up, revealing two small breasts.

"WHAT THE HELL?!"

Startled, Momo turned around just in time to see the three Peeping Toms tumble into the water, having leaned far too over to confirm what they had just seen. They sat up, spitting water out from their mouths. Only a few feet separated them from Momo, so everything was in clear detail.

"Ichigo…you – you're a – a…a _girl_?!"

* * *

Next update: tomorrow, most likely (it's a cliffhanger, yes, but work calls)


	16. Farewells

**Chapter 14 – Farewells**

*****

_**Xialonghu  
**__**Hot Springs**_

*****

It was very quiet. Momo's mind felt like it was filled with cotton. It only registered that there were three pairs of eyes on her, and the owners of those eyes were all looking extremely shocked for some reason. Something was nagging at the corner, telling her that there were problems, but she couldn't grasp at it. Then she realised what gender they all were.

"PERVERTS!" she shrieked, covering her chest and sitting back down. She grabbed fistfuls of the sandy bottom and threw it at them. Her hand brushed at a sizeable rock and that was flung towards them as well.

"Holy hell, Ichigo!" Renji yelled as he ducked, barely avoiding a concussion. "Stop it!"

"NO! I WILL NOT – h-huh?" The next volley of sand slipped through her slackened grip as her eyes widened in realisation…and horror. "Did…did you call me…Ichigo?"

Renji nodded and Momo went as white as a sheet. She looked down and bit her lips. They had seen her, called her 'Ichigo'. They knew everything, it was all over, and there was no way out of this besides the truth. She couldn't very well avoid them. She had to make sure her secret didn't spread because this was considered the ultimate form of treason, even beyond helping the enemy.

"P-please, don't tell anybody," she begged. "I can explain."

"What is there to explain?" Shuuhei's tone was cold. "You decided to make the army into a laughingstock! Thought you'd have a little fun before the Chaos arrived to take over all of China!"

"N-no! That's not true! Please-"

"Why should we listen to anything you say? You've deceived us all for the past month! On what grounds can we possibly trust you?"

"Shuuhei," Izuru started in a quiet voice. "Maybe we should…you know, listen…just hear her out a little. There must be a good reason."

"Izuru, listen to yourself, defending her! Whose side are you on?! Females can't just decide to waltz into the army and play hero whenever they want to! This is a disgrace to all of us as well!"

"But just think for a minute. Why else would she risk death just to be here?"

"Because she wanted to make fools ou-"

"It's because of my father!!" Momo was standing up, abandoning all embarrassment and modesty. "My father, Long Fei Hinamori, he fought in the last war and it was because of him that they won! And then China demands that he fight in this war, when he's old and crippled?! If he came instead of me, then he would have surely died, no matter what the outcome!

"…I…I can't lose him…I can't lose my father!"

After she finished, no one said anything. Her last quivering note was left in the air until,

"Yeah, alright then." Renji stood up, looking straight into her eyes and nowhere else. "Not another soul will know about this, I swear. Izuru, Shuuhei?"

"Yeah, I won't say a word."

"…"

Renji rounded up on him, wrenching him up by the collar. "Shuuhei, you swear, RIGHT?!" His tone was threatening. Momo never knew he could be so serious…or so terrifying.

"Y-yeah, I swear," Shuuhei muttered. "Sorry, Renji. I forgot…about that."

Renji dropped him and muttered, "C'mon guys, let's go. Give her a little privacy."

The three turned and waded back through the reeds, but before they were out of sight, Renji turned back around.

"Hey, so what's your name? You know, your real name?"

"It's – it's Momo."

"See ya tomorrow at training then, Momo."

*****

_**Training Camp  
**__**Momo's Tent**_

*****

Momo stared up at the stretched linen, arms and legs spread wide out, glassy-eyed. Her surroundings remained oddly quiet. Even after the hours in which she laid inside the confines of her tent, Rukia did not utter a word. She didn't fly in front of her face and nag her about the situation, or tease her about it either. Instead, she drifted silently behind like a ghost and sat on the pile of clothes that occupied the far right corner. But her strange behaviour did not occupy Momo's mind. It was elsewhere.

She had thought about it countless of times, imagined the worst possible ramifications of being uncovered and steeled herself should it come. She never expected to escape like this. When they found out that she was in fact a female, she was so scared that they would report her to the higher authorities. If that had happened, there was no doubt that she would be dead, but furthermore, her family would have never lived down the shame. It would follow them, generation after generation, never forgotten. Even in death she wouldn't be able to bear that. It would confirm all her fears of being a useless daughter.

Luckily, that didn't happen. Her secret was safe, and she had Renji to thank for it. Momo turned over onto her side. That really was a shock. She was so sure Renji would be furious after he found out. To her, he came off as exceedingly arrogant with a brawn-over-brain demeanour. From everything she thought she knew about him, she would have never expected him to stick up for her.

"_Sorry, Renji. I forgot…about that."_

Of course, maybe something happened in Renji's past. Momo wondered how bad it was, if it was enough to coerce Shuuhei into secrecy. He was absolutely livid when he found out. Tears welled up; it wasn't like she didn't deserve it, but she couldn't pretend it didn't hurt either. At least she was safe for now.

Midnight was approaching but the tossing and turning did not stop. Momo just could not get to sleep. She mulled over her thoughts; she never did thank Renji properly. Was it on the border of stupidity to go out at this instant and express her gratitude? She supposed it couldn't hurt to try. If she could not do it tonight, she would definitely do it in the morning.

She flipped herself up from her sleeping mat and lifted the flap. She turned around and told Rukia where she was going, and when she only received a floaty "mhmm" she walked out the rest of the way. The moon was waning and there were many clouds populating the sky. Momo had to tread carefully to avoid bumping into anything. If one was not paying attention, it was very easy to walk straight into a pole or tent, or a muddy puddle such as one that she narrowly avoided.

Luckily she made it to the tent Renji and Shuuhei shared without any mishaps. Since she arrived late for registration, she had a tent all to herself. Whether this was fortunate or not, she wasn't sure. It was the smallest and tawdriest of tents. At least it kept out the elements…most of the time.

It didn't seem like there was any movement inside. Momo stood there deliberating on whether to wake him up, came to the conclusion that it would be rude and turned around. Before she had the chance to take a step, a voice spoke up behind her.

"He's not here."

Momo stiffened as she heard the voice of the very last person she wanted to see after the night's incidents. Very reluctantly, she turned around to face Shuuhei Hisagi. He was leaning on one of the tent's thicker support poles with his head turned to the side like he didn't want to look at her.

"O-oh…I see. Um…" Momo shifted her eyes uncomfortably. "Well then, I'll be going now."

For a second time she turned around and again she was stopped by his voice.

"Wait."

He put his weight back onto his feet and slowly walked over to where she was standing. Momo chanced a glimpse at his face; he didn't seem angry. It was a small blessing, but she still couldn't stop the dread from coming. He stopped about three feet away from her and remained silent. All his muscles were tense and he was very discreetly chewing on his bottom lips. Then, without any warning, he bowed to her.

"Momo, I apologise for everything I said to you tonight. It was inexcusable." He straightened up. "It was just the shock of it and I overreacted. It's no excuse, I know, but I hope you won't hold it against me.

"I've had time to cool off and now I think it's very selfless of you to be doing this, considering just how often you're facing death. I…" He broke off, rubbing the back of his head and looking very self-conscious. "I want you to know that I meant it when I said that I would keep your secret."

As soon as he finished, Momo bowed very deeply towards him. "Thank you very much, Shuuhei. I truly am sorry for deceiving you, Renji and Izuru, especially when you've made this past month much more bearable for me." She grinned. "So, tomorrow's as usual?"

"Definitely, with the usual being me beating the three of you!"

"In your dreams, Shuuhei. And even then you might lose."

The laughter that followed chased away all of the awkwardness that had settled between them and they bade each other a good night. Just as Shuuhei was about to let the flap fall shut, Momo turned around yet again.

"So if Renji's not in there, where is he?"

Shuuhei hesitated; his hand tightened its grip on the fabric, but only ever so slightly. "He's just in the woods, clearing his head and stuff. He just needs to be alone right now."

"Right, thanks Shuuhei."

"Night, Momo."

*****

_**China  
**__**Dixiao**_

*****

Toshiro walked down between the silent rows of houses and shop fronts. He was looking for Momo. It was much too early for anyone to be out and he didn't know where she lived in, for she always cleverly avoided revealing that piece of information. Vaguely, he wondered why. Was she that ashamed of her home, her family?

He continued to wander about aimlessly, careful to keep the noise to a minimum as to not be mistaken for a prowler. The sun would be breaking the horizon at any minute. He hoped the villagers would rise soon, or else he would have to go back without saying goodbye to Momo. How would she react when he told her that he would be leaving for war tomorrow? How would _he _react to her reaction? Toshiro frowned; this may be harder than it first seemed.

He turned the corner and at the same moment, a door opened. A middle-aged woman wrapped in layers stepped out, rubbing her hands together for warmth. What luck! Toshiro jogged up to her, hoping his luck would continue and this woman knew of Momo.

"Excuse me."

The woman turned around. A look of surprise came onto her face when she saw him standing in front of her. "Why Captain Hitsugaya! What are you doing out here so early? Is there anything I can help you with?"

"Yes actually, there is. Do you know where a girl named Momo lives?"

The woman looked even more surprised. "Momo? Do mean my Hanamomo? I hear her friends all call her Momo."

Hanamomo? He remembered that once, Momo told him her real name wasn't really 'Momo'. She said her real name had the meaning of "peach blossom" but refused to tell him more. She had laughed, and told him to figure it out for himself, but he got caught up trying to get even for her little enigma and forgot all about it. This made sense – 'hana' meaning 'blossom' and 'momo' meaning 'peach'. What were the odds?

"Yes. Is she here? I need to talk to her."

"I'm afraid you just missed her." He smile was bittersweet. "She left Dixiao just yesterday. It'll be lonely without my little Hanamomo, but I'll manage."

"She left Dixiao? Why? She never said anything about leaving."

"Really?" She looked just as confused as Toshiro. "She never told you about it? But she's been going on and on about it for weeks! You should have seen her face when she went off yesterday to get married!"

"…She-"

"_To get married!"_

Something shattered. The long, drawn-out crack rang in his ears, unheard by anyone else. So this was the reason why she never told him where she lived? Because all this time she had a fiancée? So all this time, he was just a throwaway, someone there just for a little fun. If this was true, then why didn't he feel angry? Why was this emotion gnawing away inside of him, why was it torment instead? That something that shattered…it was his heart. Because he really did love her, more than anyone else.

"Ah…I see," he said with everything he could muster.

"I know," the woman replied, mistaking his tone for bewilderment. "It's hard to believe my free-spirited Hanamomo settling down! I miss her already but I'm so happy she found a kind and caring husband. She should be coming to visit in a few weeks. Please, feel free to come see her."

He replied, but he couldn't hear what his reply was. In fact, he became deaf to everything except for his heart, which somehow miraculously remained beating. Why didn't it stop already? Wasn't it broken? He walked numbly out of Dixiao and into the area around the lake. He settled himself onto a large rock and slid his hand through his hair, trembling slightly.

This was unacceptable! He should have more control than this. Why was he falling apart at the seams from this? He lived thorough his mother's death, his father's grief and he would live through this. The only thing he needed to do was to forget all about these binding sentiments. Yes, that's what he would do. Forget all about her, let anger of the situation take over, anything to rid him of this heartache and enable him to carry on as Captain.

"Goodbye, Momo."

* * *

Next update: 5 minutes


	17. Fading

**Chapter 15 - Fading**

*****

_**Training Camp  
**__**Momo's Tent**_

*****

When the sun rose, and Momo along with it, she felt a little lighter. Right now she was in serenity's protective aura. She didn't realise how wonderful it would be to have a few people know about her secret. She could slip up sometime, make high-pitched squeals, and there would a few people who would know why. Just that was enough.

"Rukia," she called out while rummaging around for her face cloth. "I'm going out to the lake. Are you coming with?"

Rukia's usual instant and enthusiastic response did not come and Momo felt her serenity waver. She frowned slightly and quickly swept her eyes around. She was nowhere to be found.

'_Maybe she's sleeping in. She didn't look to well yesterday. Maybe she's sick? Can family guardians even get sick?' _she wondered.

She nodded firmly, deciding that was the case and slipped outside. Of course, it was still very early, and it was at these hours that she usually woke up, because they were the best for sneaking out of camp unnoticed. Just as she was about to cross the threshold into the bamboo forest, a large hand landed on her shoulder. She shrieked and turned around only to see Renji. He caught sight of her expression and started to laugh, doubling over.

"It – it all – makes sense now!" he said between laughs. "And – and we all – all thought – your – voice didn't break yet!"

She sent a swift kick to his shins. The next laugh came out strangled, caught between the sudden pain shooting up his entire leg. "Haha, who's laughing now?!"

"Dammit! That hurt!"

Renji made to kick her back but she wagged a finger in his face. "You wouldn't hit a girl, now would you?" she questioned, a grin playing on her lips.

"You bet I would – Arrrgh!" He made to move his feet but they stayed planted firmly to the ground. He grabbed his head. "For the love of – why me?!"

Momo laughed and entered the forest, with Renji quick to follow. Despite what should have been a very awkward morning, Momo was very happy to feel no tension in the air. It was as if he had known all along; but of course, he didn't. His expression last night proved it.

"Say, Renji…can I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"Did something hap – uh…I mean, did something happen to get you out of bed so early?" she teased. Originally, she wanted to ask him about his past, find out exactly why he was so accepting of the fact that she was a girl, but he already helped her out so much. She was beyond grateful to him. It would be both rude and shameful to pry into personal matters. When or if he was ready to talk about it, then she would listen.

"I swear, why do all girls think guys are complete sloths or something?"

"Because…you are?"

"And who are the ones who are out there risking their lives for China, huh?"

"Males, and that's because females aren't allowed to!"

"Hah, imagine if they let the females join the army! We'd probably need a break in between battles so you could all fix your nails or something."

"Well…" Momo flexed her fingers and looked at her overgrown nails, chipped slightly in places. When you were training day and night things do tend to slip your mind…and nail care seems to be the least of your worries. "They are quite handy for gouging eyes out, don't you think?" She brandished her nails at him, amused when he took a startled step back.

"Ah, you're a devil woman, you know that?"

She laughed. "Fine, but in all seriousness, why _are _you up so early? The only person I really ever see out here this early is To – ah, um…To-something. What was his name?" she asked, feigning ignorance.

"You mean Toki Tashimesawa?"

"Yeah!" she instantly exclaimed, breathing an internal sigh of relief. Would it be considered some kind of scandal if people knew she was kinda, maybe…seeing Toshiro? Not that they were an item or anything!

"What? Are you serious, Momo? If you were to call one guy a sloth, that'd be him."

"A-ah, well…maybe I saw wrong? It's not like I ever went up to him!"

"Heh, would be really stupid if you did. Funny, but stupid." Renji let out a short laugh. "Anyway I'm here cause I want to go in the springs." He held up a small towel that Momo completely missed.

"Ah, so guys do bathe after all," she whispered.

"What was that?"

"Nothing! I didn't say anything!"

They emerged from the forest and found themselves immersed in a heavy morning fog. It was so bad they could hardly see three feet in front of them. Luckily they took frequent trips to this particular area and the path to the hot springs was all but engraved into their minds. However, impeded by the fog, it took them much longer than usual. It wasn't unusual that one of them would accidently take the next step into the water or marshes.

When they reached the hot springs, their ankles were wet and dirty, but the fog had cleared enough for a reasonable vision. They stood there silent, each waiting for the other to do something. Finally, Momo turned towards Renji with arms akimbo.

"Well?" she demanded.

Renji looked taken aback. "Well what?"

"Are you going to leave or what?"

"What?! Why the hell would I leave after I walked all this way?!"

"Not leave here, leave _here_," she said, gesturing around the area. Confusion seemed to be grappling with his vocal chords. Momo sighed and crossed her arms. "I'm a girl and I came here for the springs too, so unless you want me to yell so all of Dixiao can hear and come running to find you here waiting for me to take my clothes of –"

"Okay, okay! I get it! I'm going!"

"Thank you!" Momo said jovially.

"Women," Renji grumbled under his breath.

*****

_**Training Camp  
**__**Momo's Tent**_

*****

"Rukia?" Momo let the flap fall behind her as she looked around. "Rukia?" she repeated. The silence answered back.

Huffing a little at Rukia's sudden disappearance, Momo began to pick up random articles of clothing strewn all over the floor, throwing them into a spare corner to be packed. This morning, Toshiro had announced that they would be heading off to war tomorrow. Since today was essentially their last day of training, he pushed them harder than ever.

But still, even the fact of heading off to war shouldn't have transformed him into the callous person he was today. Momo cocked her head to the side. For the millionth time today she wondered if she was imagining things. Maybe he was just really anxious about the war. It was war after all, with all the swords, blood and killing. Wouldn't that make anybody tense?

Momo sighed and began to pack in all her necessities: clothes, medicinal herbs, flint stones. Anything unnecessary was put to the side to be discarded. She was going to war, not a tea party. Still, it was quite hard to part with her lily flower shampoo.

She was almost done; all that was left was the small pile of clothes in the corner. The one Rukia usually occupied when she wasn't busy trailing behind her, acting as a commentator on her life. It was only a day, but already Momo missed those moments. She picked up a plain cotton shirt and waved it in the air to clear it of any dust. A small piece of paper came fluttering out. Momo reached out and caught it.

_Sorry Momo – Rukia_

It was only three words, but Momo read them over and over again, not willing to believe what her mind told her. "Rukia?" she called out.

There was no answer and she didn't want to believe that her own little guardian, her protector, her friend just disappeared from her life. Tears slid down, one by one, and dropped onto the bare floor. Why would she just leave? Why didn't she say anything? Why, why, why?!

"Rukia?!" she repeated futilely. "Rukia?! Rukia?!"

Her voice was steadily climbing higher. She kept calling out, giving no thought to keeping her voice concealed, until it broke off and she was left to sink heavily onto the floor, staring blankly at the slip of paper in her hands; the only thing left that proved she was here at all.

*****

_**House of the Hinamori Family  
**__**Statue of the Great Stone Dragon**_

*****

"Eh, Rukia? Back so soon? I knew you could do it!" Kaien gave Rukia three sound thumps on her back, failing to notice her drooped posture. "So when do you think Bya-sama will–"

"Stop, Kaien." She shook his hand off but didn't make any other movements.

Kaien's face fell, and his wings drooped down as well. Rukia was one never to be easily discouraged. She was robust, buoyant and almost loquacious to a fault. To see this young, self-assured dragon barely standing, senses cut off from the rest of the world, was ultimately disheartening. In the centuries that they have been together due to the bonds of dragonhood, Kaien could only remember one time she was reduced to such a state; when – he grabbed her shoulders.

"Rukia, you're thinking about _that, _aren't you? Aren't you?!"

When Rukia's eyes failed to meet his, he knew it was true, and he knew how serious this situation was. When she came back the last time, it had taken him years to tease a smile out of her. And just in time too, because she was almost completely faded. He was not going to let her go down that path again, because he truly cared about her. She was like a sister to him, and it was almost demanded that he look after her; something he partook in quite willingly.

"Kaien…Kaien! It's true, okay?! All these years, I've always knew that it was my fault, and the only reason – the only reason–" Her voice caught and a strangled sob came out. "The only reason I pretended that I got over it was because of you! I hate seeing you all sad and depressed, like…like you are now!"

Succumbed by her emotions, Rukia bowed her head and buried it into her hands, trying in vain to muffle her sobs and dry her tears. Like an older brother, Kaien pulled Rukia into his chest and wrapped his arms tightly around her; she was not alone in her ordeal. He poured into her all of the warmth he could give and took from her what he hoped was at least a fraction of her sorrows.

"Rukia," he muttered, pressing his head on top of hers. He said no more and let his embrace communicate what he could not justify with words; that her of her pain and sorrows were his as well, and that was something she had no say in.

"Kaien!" Unexpectedly, her hands flew up to grip at his clothes, her nails digging into his skin. She let her tears have free reign. "W-why am I l-like this?! I want to be a-a guardian and protect people, e-especially the ones – the ones I care about, b-but in the end…in the end, I can't even protect you from my selfishness!"

Under the weight of her grief, her knees buckled and she fell limp against Kaien. Being the older and stronger of the two, he easily held up her weight, but hated every second of it. She felt like a porcelain doll; so fragile that a single wrong touch could shatter her.

"Please Rukia," he begged. "Please believe me when I say that you are not selfish, and that it is your determination and passion for what you are that makes you a true Hinamori guardian, not the number of successes and failures."

"Byakuya-sama…h-ha! How did you think I lost all my guardian stones?"

"Didn't you always say that he was a stuck-up old prune?"

"He _is_…but that doesn't really change anything."

Kaien shifted ever so slightly so that he had enough room to peer down into Rukia's face. Despite her earlier jab at Byakuya, her face was devoid of all emotions. It looked like she was using all of her energy just to keep herself breathing. Affectionately, he patted her head a few times and gently set her down on the cool surface of his stone effigy.

"Hey now, stay here alright? I'll be back in a few."

Without waiting for a reply, he turned around and flew off. Rukia did not acknowledge his leave and only stayed in the position in which Kaien set her in. Silently, Kaien flew up into the family shrine and hovered near the pedestals where rested the statues of the zodiac animals. With Rukia temporarily out of commission (and by his power it would remain only temporary), Momo needed another guardian.

He deliberated for a few moments before deciding on the ox and rabbit guardians. What Momo needed right now was strength of mind and body, for the war was looming ever closer. And because of that swiftness was essential for the guardians to reach her in the minimal amount of time. It was lucky that those two guardians got along well; unusually well considering how opposite they were to each other.

"Oi, Kenpachi." He knocked his hand upon the crown of the stone head. Kenpachi immediately appeared without all of the extravagant sparks and bangs.

"Whaddya want?" he said, yawning widely and loudly.

"Be quiet! We don't want Bya-sama to wake up."

He did not comply. "I hate being quiet. Life's all about being loud and proud, fighting everyone and anyone you can get your hands on!"

"Well be quite for a minute. Look, we need another guardian out there to look after Momo. I'll wake up Yachiru as well, but you keep her quite until you're off the Hinamori grounds. Seriously, we can't have Byakuya waking up."

"Two guardians?" Kenpachi said, a scowl forming on his face. "And with the little dragon, that makes three. What are you getting at, Shiba? There's no way for a guardian stone to be split, and you know it. And unless it's me that gets it in the end, I have no interest in this. Later."

Kenpachi made to descend back into his statue, but Kaien held him back, his claws ripping into the fabric of the ox's shirt.

"Then listen well, Kenpachi," Kaien growled. "Unless you and Yachiru go, there may not be a Hinamori family to guard, and then where would the chances of acquiring the stones be?"

"Is that a threat?"

"Not at all. I'm just saying it would be in your _best interests _to go." Kaien folded his arms. "And are you insinuating that I would ask this of you without offering you a reward?"

"Fine, but it better be a freaking good reward, you hear me?"

"This is no time for compromises, Kenpachi. We're wasting valuable time, so take Yachiru and go." Kaien glided over to the statue of the rabbit and paused with his hand over its head. "Just remember: keep her _quiet_," he stressed.

"Yeah, yeah."

With a deep breath, Kaien knocked his hand three times upon the stone surface. Yachiru popped out in front of his, giving a large yawn just like Kenpachi. Kenpachi quickly clamed his hand over her mouth, picked her up and dashed off with a maniacal grin on his face.

Kaien sighed as he watched the trail of dust slowly disappear. Those two could be a handful, but they were the best choice. He just hoped Momo could keep up with their exuberance. It was silent in the Hinamori shrine as Kaien looked at the twelve pedestals, eleven of them bearing at least one shimmering jewel. He flew over to the statue of the dragon, and placed his hand upon its grey, unadorned stone.

"Forty years…and she still hasn't forgiven herself," he voiced in a pensive whisper.

If he wasn't careful, Rukia could completely fade this time. It was an extremely rare case, but not unheard of. Under extreme circumstances, guardians loose their innate ability to absorb spirit energy from their surroundings. With their sustenance cut off, there was nothing left but for them to either regain their will, or fade into Heidi, the eternal abyss.

Kaien flew back out towards his statue, and surprisingly Rukia was sitting up. On her face was a dreamy smile. Kaien frowned; something was squirming uncomfortably inside him. When Rukia turned her head and saw him coming, she stood up in a trance-like state.

"Kaien!' she exclaimed just as he landed in front of her. "Kaien, look!" And with that she raised her translucent hand up to his face.

* * *

Next update: 5 minutes


	18. Onset of War

**Chapter 16 – Onset of War**

*****

_**Training Camp**_

*****

Momo sniffed as she fastened the last buckle on her saddlebags. She hardly got any sleep last night, and how could she with the knowledge that Rukia was no longer here? The day emulated her mood; the skies were heavily clouded and sharp winds buffeted them.

Izuru, who was working close by, nudged her in the ribs. "Hey, Momo, you okay?" he said quietly.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she lied. "Guess it's just my nerves catching up with me. I mean…it is war after all."

He nodded gravely. "Yeah, I know what you mean, but for China I'm willing to do anything. If we die then it will be an honourable death."

"Yeah. Yeah, it will be," she replied, this time with a little more truth behind it.

"Ten more minutes until we set out, so hurry up!" Toshiro called out. He had already packed their entire supply of war rockets into two carts; one to be pulled by his stallion, and the other by Renji's horse. He disappeared into the throng of working soldiers, helping with last minute tasks. "Hurry up, move on," he would occasionally say.

"Renji, here." Inconspicuously, Shuuhei tossed a small wineskin to Renji, who deftly caught it in one hand. "Something for the road," he said and then winked.

A large grin surfaced Renji's face and he carefully tucked it away. "Hey, thanks!"

"Don't go making yourself drunk before war!" Izuru reprimanded. "You won't be able to tell friend from foe; toss it out!"

"Jeeze Izuru, don't be such a wet-blanket. We're not going to drink it _during _the battle. We're not idiots!"

"You do a pretty good job acting the part," Izuru mumbled with a bitter undertone, offended by being called a wet blanket. Unfortunately, Renji heard his mumble and wasted no time in launching a verbal counterattack. Soon, Shuuhei was dragged in and they began a free-for-all. Momo watched, but her mood did not improve, even if they all looked very childish.

"Oh look! There she is!"

Before Momo could even pinpoint the direction from where the voice came, something collided into the back of her head. It crawled up until it could hang its head upside down in front of her eyes.

"Peachy-chan!" Yachiru exclaimed.

Quickly, Momo pushed Yachiru's head down against her head, ignoring the muffled sounds of suffocation. She looked around but everyone else was distracted from preparations to notice the newcomer. Breathing a sigh of relief, Momo removed her hand.

"Hey, that wasn't very nice, Peachy-chan!"

"I'm sorry," she said, not sounding very sorry at all. "But will you please keep it down a little? Most people aren't used to seeing my family guardians fly around."

"That's no fun at all." Kenpachi floated in front of her eyes, arms crossed and looking bored.

"Well if I get caught then there's no going off to war for me," she hissed.

"Yachiru, be quiet."

"Five minutes!"

Momo snatched her two guardians from the air and hid her hands behind her back. Toshiro walked past and looked over her work, briefly making eye contact. She was not used to him looking at her with such cold eyes, whether she was Momo or Ichigo. When he was safely preoccupied with a group of soldiers ten feet away, Momo let Kenpachi and Yachiru free.

"So who are you?"

"Kenpachi Zaraki, the ox of the zodiac and the strongest guardian you will ever have, kiddo."

"And me! Yachiru Kusajishi, the rabbit and the fastest of them all!"

Momo blinked. Kenpachi was wearing no shirt, only ripped pants. Two shiny golden rings hung off on one of his two horns crowning his head. Yachiru was considerably smaller than Kenpachi, and thus she was resting on his broad shoulder. Her ruqun was made from feminine colours and had child-like patterns splayed all over. She took in their appearance, and voiced a completely irrelevant question; one that was constantly burning her mind.

"Where is Rukia?"

"You mean the disappointment–"

"Hey, don't call her that! Rukia is the best guardian I've ever had!" she countered defensively, failing to mention that Rukia was the only guardian she ever had.

"Whatever," replied Kenpachi, truly looking uninterested in her rebukes.

"Just forget about her, Peachy-chan. We're your guardians now!"

Momo became livid. How could they just disregard Rukia like that? Weren't the twelve animals of the zodiac supposed to be bonded like that of a family? Even if the other guardians looked down upon her, she would not, Momo thought. During the past month and a week, Rukia was a guardian, a solace and a friend; above all a friend.

But before Momo could come at Rukia's defence, Toshiro called out to the group yet again. "Okay, ten minutes are up. We're moving off to war."

He led the way by horseback, followed by Chojiro and finally the soldiers. Momo had no choice but to stuff Kenpachi and Yachiru into a small side pocket and mount Jin. Unlike the imperial army, the horses of the secondary army came in many different shades. The few that did not have their own steed sat beside a cart driver. Everybody was stuck in a muddle so their leave was protracted.

Kenpachi leaned on the edge of the pocket and growled. "At this rate I'd decompose faster."

*****

_**China  
**__**Honshu Mountains**_

*****

It was an arduous week. Every night the temperature would drop to near unbearable levels; the fear of frostbite spread among the army like the common cold. Each day the snow piled seemingly higher, inhibiting their stallions to awkward movements, especially uphill. But the imperial army endured and made it to the centre of the pass. Jushiro had spilt up his army into three different groups so that two could go on the cliffs both sides and the remaining could advance up the pass, forming a barricade.

Jushiro himself was on the pass, for that was where the brunt of the battle would be. He had instructed his archers to take cover in areas where both protection and effective firing range were offered. Others he had told to find the hidden crevasses so that they had the advantage of surprise.

"It's certainly very quiet here," Jushiro muttered, as if anything louder might draw the Chao army at that instant.

"You'll be wishing for it once we start battle, General," Ikkaku replied.

"Is everything prepared? The signal?"

"Yes sir, everything's all set and awaiting your commands."

"Excellent. Now I only need to pray that our archers will be able to find an adequate location to shoot from."

"I'm sure they–" A high-pitched cry interrupted Ikkaku. Jushiro looked up only to see the black falcon circling the sky above them, repeating its cry. He saw the distant forms of his soldiers scaling the mountains, unaware of the orange lights flaring to life above them–

"DRAW YOUR SWORDS! IT'S AN AMBUSH!"

Almost instantly, a torrent of flaming arrows rained down upon them, causing the soldiers to scatter. The ones on the mountain side were not so lucky. There was no where to move and many were shot. One was shot in the chest, and another followed to puncture his steed, causing both to tumble off the edge. Even from a distance Jushiro could see the rugged fur clothes of the Chao army. They were coming out from the crevasses that they had planned to use…

"Dammit," he cursed, but could not move to help because the rest of the Chao army appeared on the opposite end of the pass, Aizen and his black steed in the centre. They stared momentarily at each other, oblivious to the sounds of battle above them. Finally, Jushiro raised his gleaming sword and pointed it forward. "FOR CHINA!"

"FOR CHINA!" echoed his soldiers.

The imperial army charged, creating a thunderous quake. Aizen too pointed his sword forward and led his army into the battle. Jushiro and Aizen clashed swords while their soldiers wove around them, leaving a wide berth for a private confrontation.

After their first strike, both leaders drew back. Jushiro hardened his eyes while Aizen simply smirked at him. "Again we meet, General Jushiro Ukitake. It's been too long."

"Indeed it has, but this meeting will be the last. It is time you atoned for your sins."

"Sins are born only when one believes that they are sins. I am merely claiming that which I am owed."

"You are owed nothing, Aizen. Nothing except for the darkest pits of hell."

"How I will miss that ludicrous mouth of yours, General. Can I trust you to send my greetings to your wife once you have joined her?"

Enraged, Jushiro charged, preparing to execute a wide horizontal slash. Without hesitation, Aizen raised his sword to block the attack and pushed the steel to the side. He made a shallow cut in Jushiro's exposed arm and then drew back out of range.

"You would let anger cloud your vision?" he taunted. "Perhaps you should just close your eyes all together."

"Be quiet, Aizen! You will pay for the suffering that you have caused!"

Again they met, swords clashing and banging, touching for only the briefest of seconds before moving away for another strike. Jushiro rushed in, but this time feinting to his right. Deceived, Aizen swung his sword out, only to slash through thin air as Jushiro switched direction, having an entire exposed side to deal damage to. He delivered a deep laceration to his upper arm. Quickly, Jushiro exchanged his sword between hands, twisted around and delivered a backhand slash of equal proportions to Aizen's horse.

The scarlet blood rained from his blade as Aizen's horse staggered and started to fall. Aizen jumped off, leaving his loyal steed to crash upon the snow and landing expertly on his feet despite his injury; blood leaked steadily from his wound and his arm hung limp. Jushiro dismounted and went in for a downward slash, underestimating Aizen's readiness. He easily blocked the attack and countered with his own, an attack which Jushiro was barely able to avoid. The steel grazed against his cheek, leaving a thin red line.

Jushiro became fazed, only for a moment, but that was all Aizen needed. Quick as a snake, he thrust his sword forward, aiming for the chest. The force behind his pierce was so great, it cleaved Jushiro's chest armour in two. The fragments buckled inwards, breaking through skin. Jushiro drew in a staggered breath, and smiling evilly, Aizen slowly drew his sword out, drawing with it a trail of blood.

The world was spinning. Jushiro fell to his knees and with a horrible hack, coughed up blood. His breathing was severely impaired; every breath was painful and difficult to execute. He could sense Aizen raising his sword and knew he only had a spilt second to decide his next action. As the sword came down, Jushiro didn't dodge, but rather took the opportunity to strike against Aizen's exposed legs. He drove his sword deep into Aizen's left thigh as he received a severe cut on the shoulder; but it was worth it.

Aizen stumbled back, gasping in pain and no longer wearing a patronising expression. Jushiro used this chance to rid himself of his armour. The loss of blood was slowly starting to affect him, but he would not be defeated by it.

As they continued to fight, Jushiro felt Aizen weaken. His attacks were slower, easier to read and easier to block. When their blades did meet, the force behind Jushiro's would send heavy vibrations down Aizen's. All around him there were signs of the Chao army's defeat. He could hear the noises of battle quieting, leaving only the exuberant cheers of his men. He could see – if only briefly – them smeared in blood, tired, but standing the midst of the enemy's dead bodies.

Aizen was the last obstacle, and then victory would be theirs. Finally, forty years after this monster was created he would be dead. Husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, children; they could all sleep without fear hanging over them like a dark canopy. China would become prosperous without restraint and its people would live their lives free from the ravages of war.

With a newfound vigour that allowed him to ignore all pains, Jushiro pushed Aizen back against a rock face. He countered a feeble attempt at a block and thrust the tip of his sword to hover half an inch from Aizen's throat.

"Enjoy your last breath, Aizen."

For one that was cornered and about to be decapitated, a smirk should not be on one's facial features. Jushiro was disconcerted to his apparent lack of fear, but prepared to deal the final blow when something impaled into the small of his back. His sword wavered as he felt a searing pain spread throughout his flesh; it was a fire arrow. He reeled back, trying in vain to remove his source of agony. A fierce wind blew the flame out, but the arrow was still embedded.

"This certainly is familiar."

Jushiro's eyes widened. It was not Aizen who said this, but rather the voice belonged to someone behind him; someone whom he thought he knew very, very well. Weakly, he turned his head to follow the person as he walked past him and next to Aizen. Even with his vision weak and wavering, he was sure it was him.

"I-Iba?" he rasped out.

It was Aizen who spoke next. He was standing upright next to Iba, as if his injuries accounted for nothing. "Ah, yes. It is quite indispensable to have a spy planted within the enemy military forces, don't you agree?"

"T-This…this wh-whole time…you – you…you're the one – who poisoned my soldiers?!"

"Yes," Iba replied coldly. "All I had to do was slip in a small amount of powered oleander seeds. Quite effective; there is no taste, no smell. By the time you realise the poison is circulating your body, there is nothing more you can do but to die. It was all too easy." Aizen's black falcon descended, landing on the shoulder of its master. "And the same goes for my collection of information during our trip through the Northern Plains."

Jushiro paled. "That's why – the ambush…how they seemed t-to know…"

"Iba is an invaluable asset, and I am certain that there are many things about him that you are unaware of, but I daresay you'd recognise this?"

He snapped his fingers and at his command, Iba drew out a small, silver dagger. Before Jushiro could comprehend it, Iba closed the distance between them and plunged the dagger straight into his heart. His eyes dilated and his breath caught in his throat. His knees gave way but Iba kept him up.

"Ah, of course," he whispered into his ear. "This reminds me of ten years back, during our first raid of Chang'an, where this very same dagger ended the life of your wife."

He threw Jushiro roughly into the snow. Through his dying eyes, he could just see the _rest _of Aizen's army descending down the pass, completely overwhelming the imperial soldiers. Blood poured out from his many fatal wounds and the air around him smelt of copper. The pains from his wounds were excruciating, but they shrank in comparison to the shame and despair that weighted in his heart. He drew in a last shaky breath.

They had been played for fools.

* * *

A/N: I didn't intend for Iba to be on Aizen's side. It just sort of happened...Sorry, Iba.

Next update: tomorrow, hopefully


	19. Crossroads

**Chapter 17 – Crossroads**

*****

_**China  
**__**Honshu Mountains**_

*****

Night had fallen, and with it the snow. There was no movement in the numerous, half-buried bodies of both man and horse strewn across the pass. Their blood had long been frozen, but the coppery smell lingered in the air. It was inescapable, like you were walking through the crimson liquid. It stung at the nose and the taste would briefly press against the palate; then the sensation of retching would come. A horrible sensation until you all but coughed up your own blood.

The bodies became one with the mountains; cold, unmoving, dead. Frost slowly crept up their blue skin, reaching towards their blank eyes, grey and slate-like or otherwise rolled back. Limbs protruded from the freshly fallen snow like grotesque sprouts, and the snow; the snow was as if it had fallen red. It was a sight enough to make any man turn away, and yet two walked undisturbed through the bowels of the battlefield.

Aizen was smirking as he stepped on bodies, periodically stabbing his sword down at a head or chest, just to be sure there weren't any hopeful survivors. He didn't bother to differentiate enemy from ally. Nimbly, he leapt off the pile of bodies he was upon and walked over to an imperial soldier, distinguishable by his black and gold armour. He was dead, and it was most fortunate for Aizen's sword came down upon him, gouging out a hole in his chest. He impaled the exposed heart and ripped it from his chest, holding it aloft like a prize.

"Very soon," he whispered. "Very soon this will be the Emperor's heart."

Under the dim moonlight, the heart gained a faint sheen. Like his sword, he too would impale upon the heart of China, stop the blood from flowing, killing it. He slashed across the air in a wide arc, sending the soldier's heart flying from his sword. It hit a rock with a squelch and sagged down, leaving a long red mark. He knelt down and wiped his sword clean.

"My Lord." Iba had caught up and was walking by Aizen's side, carelessly treading on the bodies as well. "What is our next course of action?"

"That depends. Surely that was not the entire military force of China."

"No, my Lord, but it was China's elite forces. The other is comprised of new recruits who've barely received two months training."

Aizen stroked his chin. "Interesting. And so after we dispose of these novices, there will be no one to protect the Imperial City?"

"That is correct."

"Time must be ravaging on his Excellency's mind. To send the whole of his military after me, and to leave his city unprotected; it seems as if the Great Wall is starting to crumble."

They walked silently through the maze of mountain paths, surrounded on both by high rock faces. Winds whistled through the corridors, and accompanied by some distant howls of mountain wolves, created an eerie symphony that encircled them. The ground was rugged and they scaled up numerous steep slopes; even with his injured leg, Aizen did not falter in his pace.

The encampment came into view, and with it the flickering lights of a hundred fires. The area was bustling, with every soldier celebrating the day's victory. They sat grouped around fires, drinking heartily out of wineskins and then consequently singing crude creations. Aizen walked past all the merrymaking towards a large tent erected almost directly in the centre of the camp. It rose up towards the sky like another mountain peak. Tethered outside was his horse, its injury cleaned and dressed. A pair of guards stood near the opening flap.

"Gin, Tousen, see to it that no one disturbs me tonight," he said, nodding his head towards them. "There are matters which need sorting out."

"Of course, Aizen, sir."

"No one shall bother ya. We'll make sure of that."

"Excellent, and have somebody place a few imperial corpses further down, away from the pass. That includes the General. Perhaps the novices will give up in despair when they realise they must fight me alone. Come, Iba."

He crossed the threshold with Iba loyally following, sealing the entrance shut behind him. For a travelling rebel army, the tent was adequately furnished. Beautifully woven Persian rugs covered the cold ground, their bright colours telling lies of their owners. A thin, makeshift bed lined with wolf and bear pelt was set up on the left hand side. In a corner were large leather saddlebags and a glazed jar full of snow water for in the centre of his tent was a roaring fire that eliminated all cold. Aizen sat himself very close to the fire.

"Now, am I correct in saying that it took the imperial army roughly a month to reach the base of the Honshu Mountains, and then a further week to make it to the centre of the pass?"

"Yes, that is correct."

"Therefore it will take the novices at least that long to come, if not longer. When will they depart?"

"I am not sure, my Lord, but I did see the General send a letter off. I believe he was asking for assistance and if my assumption is correct, the secondary forces would have most likely departed already."

"Very well then, we shall wait for them here. After we defeat these novices, there will be nothing standing in my way. With no military forces left, the Emperor will have no choice but to surrender." He slid out his stone dagger and held the tip in the flames until it glowed red. He withdrew it; it seemed to be throbbing.

"My revenge is drawing near. Soon the heart of China will be extinguished."

*****

_**House of the Hinamori Family  
**__**Family Shrine**_

*****

Lying on her stomach near the edge of her pedestal was Rukia. She was in a stupor of contentment, kicking her legs up and down, and looking through her hands. She was reduced to a near-transparency and in her mind she couldn't be happier; she deserved it. She managed to shake off Kaien; he was having trouble seeing her as of late. As she twirled her hair around her finger, she hummed a disconcerting tune.

Light clacks interrupted her tune. Rukia stopped and looked down to see Long Fei Hinamori slowly making his way into the shrine. The dreamy expression on her face slid; but what was there to worry about? She would soon be gone into the abyss. She forced the smile back on and surveyed him from above.

Long Fei had come in with a few incenses. After fumbling around with the match, he lit the thin sticks and slid them into the bronze plate, which was hanging from the ceiling on a fine silver chain. Soon, their modest family shine smelt of rosewood and acacia. Gingerly, he lowered himself on his knees in front of the head ancestor's tablet. He placed his hands together in a prayer.

"Ancestors, please ensure my daughter's safe return. I pray with all my heart that you have sent her a guardian, like you once did for me."

Rukia's hand slid off her cheek and a glimmer of true emotion appeared in her eyes. This could not be true; how could Long Fei still remember her? She had failed him; because of her the true Long Fei was dead.

"_Yeah! You show 'em, Fei!" _

"_Where's the next one, Rukia?"_

"_Behind you!"_

"_Another one down!"_

"No," she moaned as she gripped her head in her hands. She didn't want to remember this, but her memory wouldn't submit to her wish. It needed to be in the limelight, and it tortured her until tears trickled down her face.

"_Are there any more?"_

"_Of course not, Fei! Yeah! We beat 'em all! Let's go back."_

"_That's great! I'll report to the co–argh!"_

"_Fei?! Fei?! No, NO! You stay away from him!"_

Rukia thrashed wildly about as the scene replayed itself over and over: Long Fei splayed on the ground, hands trying to staunch the wound produced by the enemy's arrow, his face contorted in agony; his wound went right through his left leg. And then she could see herself, floating in the air, looking on in a stupor. The incoming enemy was dead, skewered through by numerous roots, but not before he extracted a small revenge; another arrow straight through the same leg. He was never the same again.

Blindly rolling around, Rukia didn't notice she was edging herself closer to the edge until it was too late. She tumbled off her pedestal, too paralysed to cushion her fall. She landed hardly on the navy, nearly black tiled floor and the force was enough to interrupt her spasms. For a moment she laid there, frozen in place with her hands still on her head. Slowly, she opened her eyes and eased into a kneeling position. Turning her head she saw that she landed near Long Fei's knees, but one way or another he couldn't see her. Guardians who've failed their charges would not be able remember them, much less see them.

"Rukia…?"

His voice was no more than a whisper, but Rukia heard it all the same. It sounded familiar, and yet all too foreign to her ears. His voice was hoarse from bewilderment and he sounded like a passing ghost; she wasn't sure whether it was a figment of her imagination. At the very same time she wanted it to be and wanted it not to be.

"Rukia?" he repeated, lowering a hand to rest palm-up on the floor in front of her. Rukia looked down at the hand that was beckoning her to climb on. She hesitated, and then almost mechanically crawled on, deciding once and for all that she might as well get what she deserved before completely fading away. Perhaps this guilt would stop gnawing away at her if her former charge took out his anger on her.

"It…It really is you, Rukia." A shaky smile formed on his lips; he was trying not to let the tears fall. "After forty year, we finally meet once more and my sight fails me. But it does not forsake me completely; while I have aged, I see you have not," he said with laughter behind his words.

Rukia noticed, and looked up in disbelief. Why wasn't he angry with her? Anyone would be; a guardian that led her own charge into the brink of death. She had let her inflated ego cloud her senses, so why wasn't she paying for it?

"Why are you so happy?" she managed to get out.

Long Fei looked taken aback. "Why should I not be happy? Rukia-"

"Don't finish that sentence!" she snapped. "If it wasn't for me, you'd still be out there doing what you love! If it wasn't for me, you'd be out there protecting China and getting all kinds of rewards and glory and honour! You wouldn't be crippled and you wouldn't have had to suffer unnecessary pain and you would have been happy! It's all _my _fault and I _still _don't know why you even remember me!!" She covered her face and began to sob uncontrollably.

Silence reigned while Long Fei looked hardly at Rukia. Finally, he spoke. "You're wrong about one thing, Rukia. I will not deny that the pain I suffered was excruciating, and how hard it is sometimes to move, but I am very happy. Without my injuries, I would never have met a wonderful nurse who soon became my wife, and I never would have had a beautiful daughter.

"Rukia, the events that happen here happen for a reason. Chance is a fabled notion; because we can't find reason for happenings, we say that it was chance, but the reason is always there. We just need to see beyond what is placed in front of our eyes. You've nothing to feel responsible for."

Rukia had lowered her arms half way through Long Fei's speech and was now merely sniffling. She stubbornly rubbed her eyes and looked away as his words sunk though her mind. She bit her lips and then gave a watery smile. "You…always did think too much. …Thank you, Fei."

"It was always your speciality, Rukia, bouncing back from everything. Ah, is my sight finally returning to me? I can see you infinitely better now."

Surprise, Rukia looked down and sure enough her body had already to absorb spirit energy, quickly turning her near transparent body back to opaque. With the return of her body's stability, she seemed to have regained her former vitality. She snubbed her toe into Long Fei's palm, looking bashful.

"So, uh…we're okay?"

"We've never been anything less."

*****

_**China  
**__**Honshu Mountains**_

*****

Momo bit her lips as she tugged on Jin's reigns, mentally begging him to move under the meagre shelter provided by the cliff. It was their third day traversing up the treacherous Honshu Mountains and it had been nothing but difficult along the way. With each passing day the snow seemed to rise, hindering their horses. Many times they had to dismount so that they could create trenches in which they could move through. Because of this their clothes were frequently damp. Fifty of their men already suffered from frostbite; it was a miracle that none of them were dead yet.

After finally getting Jin settled down, Momo flopped down and leaned her body against his flank. She tiredly rubbed his neck and he nudged back to show his appreciation before setting his head down to get some rest. Renji, Izuru and Shuuhei were all passed out around her, something she thought would have been impossible because of their awkward sleeping positions. They must have been tired beyond words. These days were gruelling.

On the other hand, she could not get to sleep. She didn't know if it was the damp outer layers of her clothes – which were already uncomfortable to wear – or nerves from begin so close to battle, but something was keeping her awake. A quiet shuffling noise invaded her ears and she turned her head.

Or maybe it was because of Toshiro.

He was sitting on a lone rock out in the open and the growing urge to abandon all regard and just kiss him welled up inside her once again. Despite the biting cold, she felt her face heating up and knew that she should avert her eyes; but that was something she just couldn't do. This impulse was near uncontrollable, and only rivalled by her yearning to know the reason behind the misery, anger and forlornness in his eyes.

"Hey, why not stop staring and just kiss him?" Kenpachi said, leaning out from his sanctuary that was a pocket. "Be an ox!"

"W-What?!" Momo spluttered out.

"Be an ox! Be strong, not some wimpy little girl who can't take initiative! If I was you, that kid would be laid good right about now."

Momo's face turned so red, it seemed to hinder her speech. She spent the next few minutes trying to make proper sentences out of embarrassed splutters and finally managed to jab a finger in Kenpachi's face. "Shut up!" she hissed. "You don't know everything! If you were me, I'll bet that you wouldn't just go up and kiss-"

Momo had to bite off the rest of her sentence because a shadowed suddenly moved over her. Of course, she knew exactly who was standing over her, but that didn't encourage her to look up. Toshiro was looking from her to Kenpachi (who thankfully had enough brains to remain still). Excuses ran through Momo's mind at a frantic rate. Did he hear? How much? Would he figure out her true identity? …And would it be that bad if he did.

"…Is that yours?" he asked, bending over to pick up Kenpachi.

"Uhh, of course not! It's my sister's! Y-yeah, she wouldn't let me leave without her good luck charm," she finished breathlessly, not quite believing that she came up with a decent excuse.

"Ahh," he voiced, not sounding that interested but turning Kenpachi around all the same. "…I had a friend who had a doll like this. Her's was a dragon"

"A-ah…well these must be popul–wait. Did you say that you _had _a friend?"

Toshiro looked at the dull stretch of rock before nodding slowly. "You heard correctly. I _had _a friend." He took in a deep breath and looked skywards. "In fact, I considered her as something more. She understood me and knew what to say and when to say, and I thought…but she deceived me."

"How did she do that?!" Momo blurted out, rising to her feet. As she said this, her mind was working furiously to figure out when she had deceived Toshiro as Momo. Nothing came up and she was forced to think that somewhere along the way, Toshiro found out about "Ichigo". But no, no! He wouldn't talk to her like this if he knew…would he?

"She…does it really matter?" His senses suddenly seemed to return to him and he glared sharply at her. "Why are you so curious?"

'_Jeeze, he's really temperamental,'_ Momo couldn't help thinking. _'He was the one who came here and decided to tell me that I had somehow deceived him! …But still…Toshiro, what did I do to make you so angry with me?'_

"Do…do you not like people deceiving you?" she asked with caution.

"Does anybody?" he said before walking away. However, he stopped and said, "But from her it was especially hurtful," before walking away again.

"…Because I love her," he whispered in a voice he thought she couldn't hear.

But she did hear, and contrary to how warm those words should make you feel, they haunted her during her sleepless night.

* * *

Next update: 5 minutes


	20. The Darkest Abyss

**Chapter 18 – The Darkest Abyss**

*****

_**China  
**__**Honshu Mountains**_

*****

The snow fell down, one by one from the dark sky in which morning, noon and night were not discernable. The army plodded along in a monotone beat; one, two, one, two. With each ticking second they were nearing the enemy, but Momo could have cared less. The surroundings were no more than white and grey. She felt that even the arrival of the Chao army at that very moment would not stir her from her stupor.

To her, Toshiro's words were more painful than any sword through her flesh. And even though they hurt her so, she could not stop thinking about them. She couldn't stop thinking about what he would say to her if he found out. Would he still love her, even though she'd been deceiving him for over two months? Or maybe it would be better to just not tell him; but then where would they be? Most likely they would never see each other again.

But compared to the prospect of Toshiro yelling abuse and rejecting her, that option seemed so inviting. Time had a wonderful power to allay the broken heart.

While she was lost in her thoughts, someone nudged her ribs, and because of her slack grip, she nearly fell off. In fact, she would've hit the ground if it wasn't for Izuru, who was riding alongside her. He pushed her back into an upright position. Renji withdrew his foot, looking half worried, half amused.

"Oi, Strawberry! We're about three days from war; don't go daydreaming!" he said with underlying concern.

Momo managed out a genuine smile. "I'm fine," she assured them. "It's you that needs the rebuke. Being drunk on the battlefield is definitely worse than daydreaming on it."

"Hey, hey! I can actually hold my liquor, unlike someone who started to striptease in front of half the camp!"

The three males sent vivacious laughter into the air, receiving a couple of raised eyebrows from their surrounding comrades. Momo blushed bright red and retreated further into her hood.

"It wasn't my fault!" she shrieked in a painful octave. "Who snuck in the alcohol into my cup? You!" She thrust out her finger, blindly pointing to the location where she imagined Renji to be since she didn't want to show her face.

"You practically asked for it, Strawberry," Shuuhei said, slapping Momo hard on the back.

"Well…you didn't, you know…go all the way…if that helps?" Izuru said, hiccupping a little from his outburst of laughter.

"Yeah, that'll really help getting rid of the rumour that I'm gay," Momo bit out.

"Hey now, Strawberry; go easy on Izuru," Renji said. "After all, he was the one who managed to get you inside before you blew your cover; although…if you did go all the way, then you wouldn't be considered gay," he added as an "intelligent" afterthought.

"Oh yeah, because I'd be dead!" Momo replied with heavy sarcasm. She paused for a moment before slowly muttering, "Thank you, Izuru."

Izuru smiled, but his reply was cut off when Shuuhei decided to outdo Renji in the 'intelligent-remarks' section. "You know, Strawberry; the rest of us were laughing so hard, we probably wouldn't have noticed if you did take off all your clothes!"

"Okay, that does it! You're all a bunch of…a bunch of boxheads!" Momo huffed indignantly. She flicked Jin's reigns and pushed her way forward, away from the trio; one of which was politely laughing and two of which collapsed from laughter.

*****

The air was unusually still as Toshiro surveyed the path. The contours of the surrounding and distant mountains seemed sharper than usual. They pierced through the sky like fangs from a dragon's maw. He withdrew his map, crinkled from overuse, and tapped the small X inscribed upon it. He looked up; after turning the next corner, it was a straight route to the pass.

His turned his head around. "Keep up, soldiers."

Turning back, he did the one thing a Captain should never do; he dropped his guard. No longer was he focused on his surroundings, keeping his senses in tune to every small action around them as if they were made by the enemy; but instead he allowed himself to drift off into his thoughts.

Even though he told himself that he would forget, he just couldn't; and it barely made any logical sense. It seemed ludicrous to him that even though they scarcely spent a month together, the memories wouldn't fade, her voice wouldn't fade. She was embedded into his mind.

He still loved her, but every time he thought about her (which was most of the time), the love was very distant; overshadowed by heartbreak, sorrow, and anger; anger at her and himself. It made no sense whatsoever that he could love yet hate her at the same time. But then again, when did emotions ever make sense?

He wished that he could forget for a moment, just so he could feel numb. Turning the corner, his wish came true and the age-old maxim _"be careful for what you wish for" _crashed into him like an angry wave. Within sight was a single large rock. The Chinese character for death was written crudely in blood all over its surface. Surrounding it were the corpses of dead, nameless imperials, but impaled onto the rock was his father.

It was all very vague to him as he rushed forward towards his father. Each heartbeat was an agonising second, reminding him of the very thing his father lacked. Without first slowing down, he jumped off his stallion and ran the last few feet. As he drew closer, his footsteps became more prolonged and he couldn't take his eyes off his bloodied father. He simply stared at him, silently digesting this abrupt revelation. With hands shaking, he removed the sword and caught his father's body. He smelt of decay and copper.

The snow crunched softly behind him, slowly repeating every few seconds; they were afraid to get near. Fighting back desperate tears, he spoke with his back towards them. "Go. Go back around the bend and seek shelter for tonight. We will continue in the morning."

His soldiers complied and retreated back, giving him the space and privacy to freely mourn. They cleared the area very quickly. Toshiro heard the last of them disappear and not a moment too soon because the strangled sob he held back broke loose. He buried his head into the crook of his father's neck and wrapped his arms around his body, not caring about the putrid smell or the ice cold skin. What he wanted was to be as close as possible to his last remaining family.

Under his touch he could feel shattered bones and open wounds, a few shrivelled fingers and flaking blood. An arrowhead was still embedded in his flesh. He felt as light as a rag doll. Toshiro was furious that they did this to his father; he clenched his hands.

"Father…father, I will avenge you," he promised. "I won't rest until I've killed him. I'll avenge you…and I'll avenge mother as well."

He set the body back down and began to clear the surrounding area from snow. The ground was frozen through and impossible to even dent, so the best he could do was to bury the imperial soldiers underneath the snow. He laid them out and began to pack in the snow, not caring how red or numb his hands became. When they were all resting under their graves of hardened snow, he cleaned the blood free from the stone and inscribed the symbol of the imperial army into it.

As a final tribute, he drove his father's sword above the head of his grave, set his head armour on the hilt and tied a scrap of fabric he had previously cut just above the cross-guard. It flew in the wind, just like his cape used to. Toshiro knelt down in front of the memorial and prayed.

"Father, you died protecting China, so I will make sure it is not in vain. You're back with mother now, so look after her, alright? I won't forgive you if you don't." A wind blew by and he swore that with it came his father's laughter.

To his trained ears, otherwise silent footsteps disturbed the air. He took his time turning around, knowing it was not an enemy; instead, it was Momo. She looked self-conscious being present at the memorial site, but still she walked on determined. Wordlessly, she stopped before the graves and payed her respects.

Toshiro watched on, astounded. He had seriously thought all his soldiers would have given him a wide berth; some already did on normal terms. However, this one was either very stupid, very courageous or very perceptive. This soldier; he probably did the one thing that would not only keep him from getting yelled at, but also one that would gain him respect.

It was something she would do.

"It's hard. I can't even begin to imagine how hard it must be, but we can't let this stop us. Instead, we have to let this motivate us," Momo said, looking up at the imperial symbol but directing her words at Toshiro. "I'm here in my father's place, but now I realise I'm also here in the place of everybody in China who can't defend themselves against the Chao army."

He stared at the symbol alongside her, then clasped a hand on her shoulder before walking back towards the camp. She looked back until she was sure he was gone, and then knelt down in front of Jushiro's grave. "Don't worry," she whispered. "We'll definitely find a way to win!"

"Yeah!" Yachiru exclaimed, cart-wheeling out of Momo's hood.

"Yeah!" repeated Kenpachi.

"Yeah!" Rukia chimed in.

Momo's eyes bulged out and she rubbed them furiously, not daring to believe that her pint-size dragon guardian was actually there, floating in front of her. Sure enough, when she blinked back her vision clear, Rukia was still there, grinning sheepishly and rubbing the back of her head. "R-Rukia?"

"Yeah." She looked down at her talons. "Sorry for taking off like that, but it won't happen ever again. I've sorted out problems long overdue–"

"Rukia, why exactly did you leave?" Momo interrupted. She lashed out her arm, grabbing her dragon guardian in a firm grip. Rukia struggled to no effect.

"Aw, Momo, let bygones be bygones!" she shouted, unwilling to expose herself. Truthfully, she was really embarrassed at how childishly she handled the whole incident and had no desire whatsoever to put it to words. However, it didn't seem like Momo was going to let go of her anytime soon. Her suspicion was proven correct.

"I'm not letting go until you tell me. You had me worried sick for weeks! I was a complete mess without you, Rukia! Do you have any idea how much you leaving affected me?"

"Y-yes…no…well, no…" Rukia averted her gaze, fighting over embarrassment and guilt. Biting her lips, she conceded to her guilt. "W-well…four-forty years ago…I was the guardian…for you father."

Momo listened silently as Rukia told her story, frequently pausing and stumbling, letting her emotions get in the way of her voice.

"Oh, Rukia…" Momo sighed as her tale came to an end. "How could you even think something like that! So now I know who my father was referring to this whole time."

"Huh?"

Momo winked. "Ever since I was little, my father has told me the tale of his first battle and how he was lucky enough to have a small, noisy girl there to watch over him. Here I though time was finally affecting his mind."

"He WHAT?!" Rukia pounded her tiny fists onto Momo's hand. "Fei! I am so not noisy!"

"I could say otherwise." Momo became lost for words, relieved and happy that they were finally back together. It took a minute for her to find her voice again. "So…you won't leave…will you?"

"Nope. Never."

Instantly, Momo reached out and grabbed Rukia, crushing her to her chest in a bear-hug. Tears cascaded down her cheeks, causing Rukia to be reduced to tears as well. Yachiru floated in the air, manipulating a couple of small petals to dance in mystifying patterns. She was happy for them and all, but she was a young guardian with a short attention span. On the other hand, Kenpachi was dangling over the hood, making very obvious retching noises.

"Please, spare me."

Momo felt around her hood until she grabbed hold of him, flung him across the path and resumed her reunion with Rukia.

*****

They were nearing the pass, but with the growing fog it was becoming hard to see almost anything. Soon, Momo could not even see the people besides her. Their voices were still there; that helped eased her anxieties, but not quell them. There was something very terrifying about riding alone through an expanse of dull grey. She patted Jin on the head and slowed down to a cautioned walk.

"Damn fog! Why'd you have to come…"

Alarmed, Momo strained her ears; Renji's voice sounded like it was fading away. Her heart thudded as some of the other noises started to get fainter as well. She shook her head, trying to rid it of irrational thoughts. Fogs didn't have the ability to make people vanish. …did they?

"Renji?" she called out in a shaky voice. "Izuru? Shuuhei?"

Nobody answered her; suddenly she felt very isolated and vulnerable. She couldn't see anything beyond a two feet radius; the enemy could be right around the corner! And then what would she do? Breathing heavily, she flicked Jin's reigns, causing him to take off in a decent trot. Over and over again she kept calling out, projecting her voice, but there was still no reply.

A violent wind contorted the fog into sinister shapes and it rushed at her like a spectre. She panicked, causing Jin to panic. He reared up and took off in a blinding gallop. They didn't run into anything; it seemed as if the only solid thing was the ground beneath them; if they veered off course they would definitely fall into nothingness.

"Peachy-chan, where are you going so fast?" said Yachiru, popping her head out of the pocket.

"Slow down, woman!" yelled Kenpachi. "You're going to drive us straight into a freaking wall!"

Momo ignored them; or rather she didn't even hear them. In fact all she could hear was hear heart beating loudly and irregularly. And with it being the only sound she was able to hear, her fear trebled.

Suddenly, and it happened so abruptly that it almost hurt, she burst out through the fog. She saw one person; it was Toshiro. Sweet relief came and then left her when she noticed that Jin was only a few feet away from galloping off the edge.

"Hinamori, stop!" Toshiro bellowed as soon as he noticed her.

Momo pulled hard on the reigns; Jin vigorously dug his hooves in and then reared back, causing Momo to tumble off. She landed with a crunch on the snow, mere millimetres from the edge. She opened her eyes and saw that she could not see to the bottom of the chasm. Jin snorted and back up a few paces.

Toshiro brought his stallion to a halt and ran over to Momo. "Hinamori, are you insane? If there is one thing you don't do in a fog it's to rush recklessly about!"

Momo didn't answer; she was still in shock from her near-death experience. She looked past him and through the fog. "B-but where's everyone else?"

"The path divided in two back there." He turned and pointed into the fog. "The rest of the soldiers must have taken the other path. I went ahead to scout; they should arrive in a few minutes. Keep up next time."

A relieved smile came onto Momo's face; so it was all just some misfortunate coincidence! She threw back her hood and looked gratefully at the sky. Still a little weak, she began to pick herself up. She could feel her legs shaking in protest, but they managed to hold her up in the end. She went to take a step forward, but the ground beneath her gave way and collapsed, bringing her down with it.

"HINAMORI!"

Toshiro dove out and grabbed Momo's hand. She slammed hard into the rock face, knocking the wind out of her. The impact caused her hood to fall and her hair band to snap. Her hair fell loose, framing her face. She could see her own reflection in Toshiro's wide eyes; he nearly dropped her. The fact that Momo was dangling for her life was overshadowed by the fact that it was Momo, and not "Ichigo" that was there. Toshiro's face conveyed a mixture of emotions; he became unreadable.

"…Momo…?"

* * *

Next update: 5 minutes


	21. Hate Vs Love

**Chapter 19 – Hate Vs. Love**

*****

_**China  
**__**Honshu Mountains**_

*****

"…Momo…?"

The deathly tone in which he whispered her name instilled fear into her. She was afraid; one wrong word could destroy everything they shared in the past…and everything they might share in the future; but somewhere in her muddled thoughts, she realized that she was still dangling over the chasm.

"Could you…pull me up…please," she breathed, daring not to use his name.

Toshiro's eyes widened, startled that he did not pull her up sooner. It was a small blessing for both of them, to be able to forget the situation during the time he pulled her into safety. On instinct, they inched away from the edge until they were a fair distance away. Still they did not stand; nor could they bring themselves to look away from the frozen grounds.

The silence was strained between them. There was nothing to provide distraction. The mountains remained silent with is winds tamed; and the rest of the soldiers could not be heard. Where were they? Hearing only the sounds of their breathing was terrifying; proof that they would have to face the inevitable. It was something that they wanted to run away from…but confront at the same time.

Momo curled her hands, scraping flakes of ice off the ground. She felt like she was going to implode if she didn't say something. Whatever would happen, she didn't want Toshiro to just disappear from her life. Any chance to recover what they once had, she would take it. So she took in a shaky breath, and took the plunge.

"Toshiro," she whispered pleadingly, turning her head to face him, and finding that he responded to her voice. "Toshiro…I'm sorry."

He looked at her, unblinking, unmoving, as if she spoke in a foreign language. But this silence did not stay long; a sharp, whip-like sound sliced through it as if it was a jagged knife. He was leaning forward and breathing heavily while she withdrew into a state of shock, slowly moving her hand to cover her numb cheek. He had slapped her.

"Why, Momo?" he begged angrily. "All this time…why?"

Momo looked piteous. Even though she was not crying, her eyes had melted in brown seas; they were shined over with tears. She couldn't respond; the guilt that was lodged in her throat told her she deserved at the very least this much. Before another moment flew by, the chattering of the rest of the soldiers could finally be heard. They were coming into view.

Toshiro looked from the fog and back, quickly standing up. He took a step forward and without saying a word, pulled Momo's hood back over her head so she was concealed. His eyes failed to meet hers and he coldly turned away, mounting up on his stallion. A gallop later and Momo was left quite alone, kneeling on the cold, unforgiving ground.

*****

He didn't understand.

Toshiro urged his stallion to run faster. It tore through the night, sending the snow flying wildly to the sides. The few colours of his surroundings melded and became a bland stretch of grey canvas. A blind left turn, a right turn; he didn't have a destination. All he wanted was to have the exhilaration of speed take away all his confusion and pain, but it did not even allow him that.

He pulled hard on his reins; his stallion dug its hooves into the ground and skidded to a sudden halt. He stopped on the spur of the moment, but he was lucky; the very same chasm was only a couple feet in front of him. He swung his leg over to dismount, but misjudged his condition. Lightheaded from his reckless ride, instead of a smooth dismount he tumbled down onto the ground. Even with the snow it knocked the wind out of him. His roll stopped with him facing skyward and he felt content to remain unmoving.

"Momo…"

His heart throbbed from her name and he sucked in a sharp breath. The frigid mountain air stung his nose, causing him to feel an unpleasant prickling sensation. He wrinkled his nose and took to breathing through his mouth instead. Pain was best avoided.

Yet he couldn't avoid this pain.

Momo; she had deceived him, and on more than one occasion. He actually felt connected to her and truly thought that he could have been himself around her; just her. In fact, her warm touch had begun to melt his barricaded heart. It didn't feel right, having himself so exposed and vulnerable, but he had been willing to try, just for her. A closed heart only represents the reluctance to trust, and the fear of having the fragile emotion toyed with.

And she did just that.

But…it wasn't all pain; and that was what frustrated him.

Even if she did betray his trust, cheated on him, deceived him, it couldn't change the fact that he loved, and still loves her to this very moment. While opening up felt uncomfortable on some levels, it felt like such a wonderful, liberating relief; because that's what you felt when you were accepted wholly by another. And…the feeling that she did accept him was so strong; so strong that it threatened to consume him.

Love…what a strange emotion.

How can you hate and love a person at the exact same time?

Deciding that the current time and place was not suited for those kinds of thoughts, Toshiro rose up and attempted to take his mind elsewhere.

Yes, they needed a plan to counter Aizen and his army. His army was at most half the size of his father's, and in addition less experienced. Unless they devised a suitable tactic, they would be slaughtered on the battlefield. He surveyed his surroundings; with small numbers, the situation practically demanded you to use other areas to your advantage; your surroundings for example.

Mountains peaked up for as far as the eye could see, laden with a copious amount of snow. Ledges were supplied here and there; access was somewhat limited but coverage was excellent.

The path he had taken to this place sloped down compared to the flat lands on the other side of the chasm, where they were this afternoon. They had crossed over a natural bridge; it was very narrow. A rock was situated just a little to the left of him. He walked onto the bridge and peered down into the unfathomable gap, heedless of the simmering winds that wanted to push him down. Looking back up, he could see a new fog rolling in.

Unpleasantness tingled through his back. He turned his head sharply up; there it was: Aizen's falcon. Even though it was drifting at lofty heights, he could tell it was scrutinizing him with piercing eyes. As soon as Toshiro had caught eyes with it, it flapped its wings and flew off. This was bad.

"Hyo!"

He called out to his stallion, who immediately met him at the end of the bridge. Without so much as a stumble, he mounted and rode back up the path. This falcon; it acted as an omen. Even today he still remembered the day he saw it floating above Chang'an; and hour later the Chao army had invaded. He was only seven.

'_I have to get back now!' _

He gritted his teeth, urging Hyo to make it back to their camp as quick as possible. If his instincts were correct, they had at most two days before their confrontation with the Chao army. Time was running out, but with just a little bit of luck, they would emerge victorious.

*****

_**Honshu Mountains  
**__**Chao Army Encampment**_

*****

"Very well."

Aizen nodded once to his falcon and it flew from his arm to rest atop of a pole. He had a feeling that the last of China's forces were close, but this close? A gleam of excitement appeared in his eyes. He was one victory away from making his dream a reality and that thought pleased him to no end. He licked his lips in anticipation.

"Iba, Gin, Tousen; tell everybody to start packing immediately. We leave in two hours."

"Yes, sir!"

Aizen turned his back to his three subordinates rushing out of his tent and withdrew the silver dagger. Picking up a worn rag, he began to polish it slowly even though it already had a mirror-like coat.

"The mother, the father…and now the son," he murmured to it. "What a wonderful history you will have."

*****

_**China  
**__**Honshu Mountains**_

*****

Hyo dug at the ground nervously, sensing his master's tension Toshiro was sitting up stiffly, waiting in the middle of the path that led to the chasm. A few hours previous his scout had returned, telling him that the Chao army was advancing quickly. In a few moments the air would no longer be still.

The suspense of the moment was eating away at him, and he turned his head around to make sure everything was still in proper order. They were lucky; an extremely thick fog had recently rolled in behind them. It would make everything run smoother. He checked his soldiers; as far as he could see they were all in position. He nodded gravely and directed his eyes back to the top of the path.

Any moment now.

And just one minute of that moment would decide everything.

Any moment now.

The ground beneath him shook; slightly at first, but then growing until the loose fragments of ice jumped in the air. Loud, thunder-like booms followed, shaking the air as much as the ground shook. His hands tightened on his reigns, and then he saw them, appearing in an intimidating black mass at the very end of the path.

The Chao army.

One figure – swathed in a much deeper black that the entire army paled in comparison – moved forward, removing his fur lined hood in the process. Sosuke Aizen, murderer of both his mother and father, leered down at him. Toshiro steeled himself for the anticipated head-on rampage, but it didn't come. Aizen took in his solitude and then looked up at the mountains. He snapped his fingers.

A flurry of lighted arrows were released, piercing the hidden imperial soldiers. Their screams made the first noise of war. Aizen swung his arm forward and led his men charging down the path towards the captain, standing there without anyone else.

"NOW!" Toshiro screamed while turning around and running towards the shrouded chasm.

He could hear them. The soldiers of the Chao army screamed through the air, delighted in seeing their enemy shamelessly fleeing. They quickened their pace so they could catch him. He strained his ears to catch the noise that would decide everything…but it never came. Panicking, he turned his head and could see no light, no fire, nor a war rocket making its accent.

What was going on?

*****

"Renji!" Momo quickly ran over towards him and helped him into a sitting position. An arrow was embedded into his shoulder, but it was not alight.

"Don't worry about me!" he screamed desperately when he saw Izuru and Shuuhei making their way over. "I…I dropped the flint."

"Where?" whispered Izuru.

"I-I don't know." Renji winced in pain, but when he opened his eyes they were helplessly directed at the lone war rocket perched on a rock; one that was already meant to have been lit.

"No one else has one?" Momo asked, receiving mutual shakes. She looked around desperately. They had to get it alight!

Alight…

An idea struck her. It was a crazy, insane idea with so many flaws, but what else could they afford to lose? She ran towards the edge and quickly spotted one of Aizen's archers. He was preparing another fire arrow. Grabbing a sizeable pebble, she took aim and threw it at him with all her might. It bounced hardly off his head, causing him to furiously look around.

"Over here!" she screamed.

"You! You'll pay for that!"

The arrow was released, and it was exactly what she wanted him to do. It whizzed dangerously at her, arrow and shaft alight, and she sucked in a breath because a second later her arm was on fire. She gasped but could not afford to waste any more time. Quickly, she removed the arrow and lit the war rocket. It went off with an almighty bang, heading straight for its intended destination: the snow-laden peak of the adjacent mountain.

The mountain groaned. It didn't seem like the rocket had any affect when quite suddenly the accumulated snow plunged down in a tremulous waterfall. The soldiers at the back were swallowed before they could fully comprehend what had happened. The screams of terror caused Aizen to look back. His triumphant expression was quickly replaced by indescribable fury. Wrenching the bow and arrow from a nearby subordinate, he turned and took aim at Toshiro.

"TOSHIRO!" Momo screamed.

The arrow missed its mark, instead driving itself deeply into the upper thigh of Hyo. His legs buckled and he collapsed heavily, causing Toshiro to be flung in the air. He crashed into the ground, rolling down a few feet before coming to a stop. More arrows flew, all puncturing through Hyo. Though very shaken and bruised, Toshiro picked himself up and with one last look at his fallen steed, continued to run.

Momo looked down, feeling slightly more relieved that Toshiro was still moving, but it did not last long. Toshiro…he was running towards the rock that marked the bridge, but on the wrong side. If he kept going straight he would fall to his death. Momo scrambled to get up, tripping in the process. Ignoring her bloodied arm, she swung herself up and Jin and directed him down. She quickly passed Toshiro and stopped Jin just before the concealed bridge.

"Toshiro! Over here!"

Although not the smartest thing to do, Toshiro slowed down to a standstill. "…What are you doing down here?"

"There's no time for that! You're running on the wrong side!"

She saw him look towards the rock and then back at her, doubt clearly in his eyes; he still did not trust her. Her heart broke, but if she could just get him safely across, if she could keep this one person that she loved with all her heart alive…then he could doubt her for the rest of her life. Just as long as he was alive.

"Toshiro, please Toshiro. I did deceive you as Ichigo…but as Momo, as me, everything was from my heart…because it wouldn't let me lie to you." She held out a waiting hand. "Please, Toshiro…If you could trust me again, one last time, it's now."

He was still fighting inside himself; she could see that. Time was running out. Aizen, the avalanche: both were coming in as quickly as an enraged bull. But then he sprinted towards her, grabbing her outstretched hand and allowing himself to be pulled up onto Jin. With an urgent cry, Momo led Jin galloping into the fog…and onto the bridge.

"Kenpachi!"

"Right!"

Kenpachi flew out and took a focusing stance in midair. His muscles tensed up, giving him more bulk and he gathered all of his spiritual power, releasing it in one blow. The water vapour in the fog became infinitely heavier, hurtling down. The bridge was smashed through and began to crumble away. It destroyed itself completely as Jin reached the other side. He walked slowly out of the fog.

Toshiro and Momo waited, unmoving as they listened to the noises beyond. Finally, they could hear no more falling screams and allowed their bodies to relax. Mom swung a leg over so both were dangling down on the same side, and turned to face Toshiro.

"I'm…I'm glad you're alright–"

Her body tensed up, not because of the exhilaration, anxiety or even the biting cold. Her sentence was effectively cut off because Toshiro had leant over and kissed her. Was this a dream?

She raised a shaky hand, wanting to touch him but afraid to do so. Sensing this, Toshiro grabbed her hand and placed it around his back, winding his around her neck. She closed her eyes and kissed back with fervour. His lips softly against hers; this was a feeling she would never forget.

Toshiro pulled away just enough so he could speak. He still kept her close, caressing her bare cheek. "Forgive me, Momo," he whispered in a husky voice.

"Toshiro…" With a drained sigh, Momo fell against him, cold and unconscious from the loss of blood.

* * *

Next update: 5 minutes


	22. Falling Out

**Chapter 20 – Falling-out**

*****

_**China  
**__**Honshu Mountains**_

*****

Everything was so warm, not only physically, but spiritually as well. She had never felt this warm in her entire life. All of it seeped into the very core of her soul and from there, there was nothing but comfort. A comfort she never wanted to leave.

But as soon as she yearned for it, it began to leave her. It was like the sunset, and she knew what came after the sunset. She didn't want to be left alone in the unforgiving and cold night. But it was getting colder; colder and colder. A pain began to blossom in her arm, throbbing like a heart.

Her right side still felt warm though, and she clutched at it with a desperate grip. She didn't want to lose it. Slowly, she felt herself drawing out of her dream world, and for the first time felt how heavy her eyelids were. She made a small, pained moan before opening them inch by inch.

A stretch of brownish-grey rock hung above her with frost splayed all over it. Something heavy was squashing her right side, and very strenuously she turned her head to see what it was.

It was Toshiro. His body was half curled around hers and his head was laying just on her abdomen. Even though he was sleeping, she could see dark circles under his eyes. She sat up, carefully nudging his head until it was in her lap and she was sitting upright. Wherever she was, it was dank. After looking around it turned out she was in some sort of cave. It was fairly deep into the mountains.

Her whole body felt very stiff and in an effort to loosen her limbs, she stretched both her arms straight out. An angry pain awoke in her left arm and she gasped, letting it fall uselessly to the ground. She looked at it, memories coming back to her.

"Momo!" Rukia collided into her face, hugging the side of her cheek with vigour. "Momo, you're awake, you're awake!"

Yachiru bounced up and latched herself onto Momo's nose. "Yay! Peachy-chan's awake, awake, awake!"

"Finally, woman. Took you long enough,' said Kenpachi, who merely sat himself on the top of her head.

Momo picked Yachiru and Rukia off her face, placing them up on her head to join Kenpachi. "How long was I out for?"

"About three days," replied Rukia. "You really lost a lot of blood there, not to mention having the cold get to you. Captain there's been worrying himself silly the whole time."

"Really?" She looked down at Toshiro, now knowing the reason behind his haggard looks. Tears sprung to her eyes, but she held them back. She just couldn't believe he would drive himself this far just to take care of her. Lightly, she ran her fingers through his tangled white hair and down to his face. He didn't even flinch. "But why, Toshiro?" she whispered.

"If I'd known that I'd be sitting though all this lovey-dovey crap I never would have come," grumbled Kenpachi, falling down to his chest and burying his face in Momo's hair.

Yachiru tugged at his clothes. "Aw, come on, Kenny! You got to destroy the bridge and then you even went back to kick a couple of them!"

"Yeah, Kenny," Rukia followed. "Don't be such a cat."

"You!" Kenpachi raised his head and bared his teeth at her. "Don't compare me to those preening, lazy, whinging excuses for animals! I'd rather be a donkey! And if you never went AWOL then I wouldn't be here and you wouldn't be listening to an "ox in cat's skin"," he paraphrased.

"Well-"

There was a low groan and everybody looked down to see Toshiro stirring from his sleep. He slowly brought his hand to his face to rub his eyes. With a yelp, Momo shoved her three guardians behind her, where they promptly flew into her shirt. Because of their haste, they were uncomfortably stuck in a tangle of limbs.

"Yeah, because you're not noisy at all," Kenpachi scoffed.

"You, shut up," Rukia hissed back.

"Toshiro," Momo whispered.

His eyes snapped open and he pulled himself up, looking speechlessly at her. With a relieved sigh he placed a hand upon her brow, then sliding it down to her cheek.

"Are you feeling alright?" he asked, looking tenderly at her.

"Yes. Yes, I'm alright. Thank you, Toshiro."

He leant in and pecked her lips. "Good. You had me worried sick."

"Why?" Momo blurted out before she could stop herself. Toshiro gave her a hurt look and she returned her gaze to her lap. "It's just…it's just that I thought you hated me…for doing what I did," she mumbled almost inaudibly.

"I…" Toshiro sighed and ran his hand through his hair, aggravated that he had to explain something so confusing. "Momo, I've never stopped loving you, but all those secrets you kept from me, they hurt me. Wouldn't they hurt anyone?"

"I know. I know, Toshiro, but I had no choice! I couldn't just tell you! Please, I really couldn't!"

Toshiro slowly shook his head. "I really don't see how you didn't have a choice in the matter. You could've told me about him, and now you're even here with me in the middle of the Honshu Mountains! I don't get it."

"No, I really don't get what you're trying to say, Toshiro! You're the captain; you know all of the laws when it comes to the army, so how can you not see why I had to keep my identity a secret?" Momo said, her voice steadily increasing in volume. She was angry that Toshiro couldn't see the logic in her actions. "Besides, why would I need to tell you about my father? Apparently you know all about him!"

"It's not you father I'm talking about, Momo! And I can see exactly why you had to conceal your identity: because it is against the law for a female to be in the army!" he yelled back, anger settling down in his face.

Momo threw him an icy glare. "Alright then! If it's not my father, who else have I not told you about?! Who?!"

"Your boyfriend," he hissed.

"What? You? I thought you knew yourself pretty well that you didn't need confirmation from other people!" Momo spat out vehemently.

"Maybe I didn't make myself clear; your _fiancée_. And while we're on the topic, when did I become your property?!"

Toshiro rose to his feet and not wanting to be left outdone, Momo copied his actions. She refused to look away from his glare and to concede a victory to him. Her scowl deepened.

"Maybe ever since you decided to _kiss _me! Twice! And my fiancée?! You must be insane! Since you clearly don't consider kissing a sign of love, I've never even had a proper boyfriend, let alone a fiancée!" she screamed.

"And if that was true I can see why! Momo, I'm not an idiot! Why are you even denying it now?! Your mother even told me so!"

"I doubt you've even met my mother! Why are you making up such ridiculous lies?!"

"Don't be such a hypocrite! If anyone's lying it's you! And it's quite idiotic considering we both know the truth!"

"And that would be that you are a pretentious jerk who refuses to believe anything other than his own bias opinions!" Momo turned her back to him in near tears and began to walk towards the mouth of the cave. Toshiro grabbed her arm, causing hot, angry tears to slide down her face. "W-What? What do you want?" she choked through.

"…Are you blind? It's below freezing point out there, it's snowing and you just woke up." He let go of her arm and brushed past her. "Don't be such an idiot," he said before walking straight out and disappearing into the snowstorm.

Momo looked out long after he had left, moving not even a finger. Finally, after the storm subsided somewhat, she walked over to the wall and slid down it, burying her head in her drawn knees. This drowned out the clarity of her strangled sobs, but they could not stop their painful tone.

"W-why, Toshiro? Why wo-won't y-you believe me?"

*****

'_Why, Momo? Why are you still lying to me?'_

Toshiro was walking aimlessly though the mountains, a dangerous activity to partake in when the snow was still falling and so was the sun. Every few steps he would furiously kick up the snow and let the flakes be blown helplessly in the violent winds. They buffeted him, causing him to pull his hood tighter around his face.

"_Maybe ever since you decided to _kiss_ me!"_

Why did he kiss her? He already knew that she had a fiancée, but he still went and kissed her. Why?

'_Because you wanted her to be yours and only yours.'_

It was a selfish desire, and one he completely gave himself into. But there were so many things that seemed so unusual. If he remembered correctly, her mother had said that she was going to get married; then what was she doing in the army? Maybe…maybe she had lied to her mother about getting married. It made sense, but then wouldn't her parents have met this "fiancée" before marrying her off?

Toshiro growled in frustration. Everything was too confusing and there were too many holes. He wanted to believe that Momo was telling the truth, that she never had a fiancée or even a boyfriend…why couldn't he?

"Dammit," he cursed, realising that it was just his large pride that kept him from accepting what might be the truth. After their intense argument, he really didn't want to be the one to admit that he was mistaken; especially since he made such opinionated rebuttals.

He kept walking. The snow had just stopped falling, meaning his tracks would not be covered. As long as he could see them, he was free to wander as long as he wanted without the fear of becoming lost. He found himself descending down a narrow path into a small valley. From there he heard voices.

"Where are we?"

"For the millionth time, I don't know!"

"If we just keep walking down we'll be off the mountains."

Toshiro recognised the trio of voices as his subordinates: Renji Abarai, Izuru Kira and Shuuhei Hisagi. He walked out into the open, pulling back his hood so he would not be mistaken as an enemy.

"Abarai, Kira, Hisagi."

They all turned around, looking at him in shock before hastily saluting him.

"C-captain! Didn't know you were still here," Renji stuttered.

"Are you three the only survivors?"

"We're not sure. We haven't run into anybody yet, but many were killed along with the Chaos," replied Izuru.

Toshiro nodded. It was a shame that so many of their soldiers had fallen, but in the end they all helped to bring China victory. No death could be more honourable. "Very well then, follow me. Night is about to fall and in the direction you're going it'll take weeks to reach the base."

"I told you we were going the wrong way," Shuuhei hissed to the other two as they followed behind Toshiro.

*****

"Momo? Momo, are you going to be okay?" Rukia asked tentatively.

"I don't know, Rukia. I don't know what I'm feeling," Momo replied as she absentmindedly stroked Jin on the side. "I don't know why he thinks I have a fiancée! As if I could ever get one."

"Maybe he misunderstood something?"

"Or maybe he was trying to suggest something," said Kenpachi.

"Like what?" Momo asked.

"What else? He wants you to be his fiancée."

"Well that's a real great way to say it!"

"Whatever works."

"Not helping," Rukia said through clenched teeth.

"Just talk to him, Peachy-chan! You're never going to figure anything out till you guys talk!"

"…Surprisingly, that helps." Rukia turned towards Yachiru. "When did you get so good with advice?"

"What's wrong with talking? I talk all the time and it always makes everything right!"

"That's because everyone wants the quickest way to shut you up," mumbled Kenpachi. "Damn hyper rabbit you are."

Before anything else could be said, advice or otherwise, footsteps echoed inside the cave. Momo turned her head, expecting to see Toshiro, but not expecting to see Renji, Izuru and Shuuhei in tow.

"Hey, guys!" she said, quickly wiping her tears and her frown off her face. Seeing her friends alive and well let her forget about her problems, if only for a moment. She walked up to them, refusing to meet Toshiro in the eyes.

"Hey, Momo! I'm glad to see that you're alright," said Izuru as he returned her smile.

"Yeah, same here," said Shuuhei.

"Momo? Wow, so I guess you're not dead after all."

"Always the same, Renji." She shook her head and shoved them inside. "Well don't just stand there in the cold all day!" She ushered them further into the cave, widening her smile just to annoy Toshiro.

"Damn, well it's actually kinda warmer in here. Good thing we ran into the captain there. Can you believe it Mo…mo…" Renji trailed off with his mouth hanging open as he realised something. He looked from Momo to Toshiro several times, each time quicker than the last.

"Aw, crap!" He smacked his hands over his mouth. The other two paled as they realised their mistake.

"Ah, urm…well you see _Ichigo _here has such a girly voice that…oh crap," Renji trailed off in a low mutter.

"It's fine," Toshiro replied curtly. "I know everything."

There was a pregnant pause that seemed to last for hours. Momo's smile fell down into a frown. Everybody could feel the tension between her and Toshiro. They glared at each other stiffly before opening their mouths.

"We need to talk."

There was another pause as they stared each other down once again. After a moment Momo stood and the other three backed into the wall, as if hoping that they could melt into it. She and Toshiro walked out of the cave, making sure to keep as much distance between them as they could.

"It…it could be worse," whispered Izuru.

"Could it, Izuru? Could it?" Shuuhei gritted through his teeth.

* * *

Next update: tomorrow


	23. Bygones and Exposures

**Chapter 21 – Bygones and Exposures**

*****

_**China  
**__**Honshu Mountains**_

*****

Neither of them moved from their rock, five feet apart. Their stubbornness was as unrelenting as the howling winds. Night had fallen and it was cold, but they continued to glare at each other. Finally, Toshiro spoke up.

"This is some talk," he said dryly.

"It's not like you're being productive either," Momo snapped back.

"I didn't say that to insult you!"

"Too bad! It sounded like it!"

They both turned away from each other yet again, holding their noses high in the air. However after a moment Momo loosened her stiff posture and relinquished her obstinacy. She shifted around until her whole body was facing Toshiro.

"Okay…maybe there's just a huge misunderstanding."

Toshiro turned to face her. "Yeah?"

"Alright then, maybe we should just start all over. I'll answer everything you ask truthfully as long as you do the same for me."

"Fair enough." Just as those words left his mouth, two questions formed themselves in his mind. Two questions that if were asked sooner, their whole argument could have been neatly avoided. "Okay, what's your full name and in which town do you live in?"

"Even though most people call me 'Momo', my full name is Tao Hua Hina-"

"Wait. Your full name is Tao Hua?"

"Uh, well yeah." Momo crossed her arms in confusion. "I do remember telling you that my full name had the meaning of 'peach blossom'. What else could it be?"

"Then why does everyone call you 'Momo'? Its origins are Japanese."

She shrugged. "Don't know, but it sounds good."

"Oh…then that means you don't live in Dixiao?"

"Nope. I live in Qingtian."

"…"

Momo narrowed her eyes. "Why are you so quiet all of sudden? And why did you ask those random questions? I thought you would have asked whether or not I really did have a fiancée."

"Asking that wouldn't make much of difference you know."

"I suppose you're right." Momo stopped and looked expectantly at Toshiro. "Are you going to answer my questions now?" she said impatiently.

"What questions?"

"Don't play dumb with me, Toshiro Hitsugaya! You know full well which questions I mean! I answered your questions now answer mine."

He brought his hand to his forehead, looking like he had the world's largest migraine. "Dammit," he cursed before sliding his hand down to his mouth and looking away from Momo. "Fine…Back in Dixiao, apparently there was a girl there called 'Hanamomo'…so I might have confused her with you."

"And…by any chance, did this 'Hanamomo' have a fiancée?"

"Her mother might have…mentioned something like that…perhaps…"

"TOSHIRO!" Momo jumped up and jabbed her finger into his chest. "So all of this started because you thought I was some random girl?!"

"Hey! It seemed too perfect to be a coincidence!

"I can't believe this, I can't believe this!" Momo said as she paced up and down. "Why would you think I was her?"

"Because 'Hana' and 'Momo' mean 'peach blossom', and that's exactly what you told me your full name meant! And since everyone calls you Momo, I assumed your full name would be from Japanese origins rather than Chinese!"

"…"

Sensing that he finally gained some leverage, Toshiro continued his assault. "And when I think about it, didn't this really all start because you refused to tell me your full name?"

"N-no! I…well…h-how was I meant to know you would just go around assuming?!"

"Now, Momo, you're assuming that I'm supposedly assuming."

"Don't try and confuse me, Toshiro! We're in the middle of something here!"

Toshiro smirked and stood up, forcing Momo back a step. "No, wait. This all started when you decided to join the army, am I right?"

"…Maybe…" Momo crossed her arms and looked away towards the ground. "Hmph, well if I never came…you…you…you would never have met me!"

"Lucky me," Toshiro said sarcastically. Using one hand he held onto Momo's arm and using the other he shifted her face back to his. "How about we call this a tie and let bygones be bygones, hmm?"

"…As long as you didn't win…completely."

"It's a tie then." He leant down and kissed her, to which after a moment she reluctantly gave into. He drew back, laughing lightly. "We should fight more often if this is where it ends up."

"Hmph, you wish." She shoved past him, walking back to the cave. Toshiro merely chuckled and followed behind, messing up her already tangled hair.

"Peachy-chan, does that mean we don't have to hide anymore?!" Yachiru came flying out of her shirt, only to be held back by Kenpachi.

"Idiot, don't go flying out!" he managed to say before he too was tugged out.

"Aw, crap! Not you too!" Rukia lunged out and grabbed Kenpachi's tail while gripping the collar of Momo's shirt with her feet. The end result was a chain of guardians coming out of Momo's shirt, suspended humorously in midair with Toshiro looking on in shock. Momo grabbed all three of them, giving him a sheepish smile.

"Hehe…I can explain."

*****

_**China  
**__**Northern Plains**_

*****

"Where are we?" Renji asked, looking around at his surroundings.

They had just descended from the Honshu Mountains, but even if early spring had come to the Northern Plains, they did not even faintly recognise their surroundings. Running next to them was a river, and when they first made their way here they were no where near one.

"Abarai, don't you know China's basic geography? This is the Longzuo River."

"Hey, give the guy a break!" yelled Kenpachi, who then proceeded to throw abuse at Toshiro. Momo could really see no point in keeping her guardians a secret if the five of them had to travel together, and so told the three right after she managed to convince Toshiro that he was not delusional. Afterwards, the three of them were no longer confined to hiding and Kenpachi took a real liking to Renji.

"Hm, actually this is perfect," Toshiro mumbled, looking down the river and clearly ignoring the ox guardian. "The Longzuo River flows right down to Chang'an, and if I remember correctly, there is a village on its banks just south from here. We could catch a boat straight down which would considerably reduce our travel time."

"Sounds like a plan," Momo piped up. "We probably don't have any other choice either, since none of you have horses."

"Then we really do have no choice. It would take us months to go back on foot," said Izuru. "In any case we should deliver the news of the Chao army's defeat as soon as possible."

"That's easy. We'll just send a messenger bird in the village." Shuuhei rubbed his head. "Say, just how far is this village?"

"Just over a day's walk, and that's if we start now, so move out!"

"Yes sir," grumbled the remaining four.

*****

_**China  
**__**He'tuang**_

*****

"Wow. This is a pretty decent village," remarked Shuuhei upon their arrival.

"Since He'tuang is situated alongside the river, it makes a large profit from the fresh fish it catches," said Toshiro.

"Oh, right! Now I know where I've heard this name! "Fresh trout straight from He'tuang!"" Momo quoted.

"Can we just find a place to stay the night?" Renji's stomach growled. "I'm starving!"

"Then follow me, and Momo, make sure to tell them to stay out of sight."

"Right. Well you heard him, in you go," said Momo, lifting up the pocket flap.

"You're no fun!" complained Rukia.

"Yeah! C'mon Peachy-chan! Why can't we stay out?"

"Because I said so. I'm your charge. How would you feel if you failed me?"

"Don't try and guilt trip us!"

"Is it working?"

"…C'mon guys, we're going in."

Momo laughed and let the flap fall loosely back. She left it untied so that her guardians could at least get a glimpse of the village as they walked through it.

*****

"It does feel good to finally be sitting on a bed again," Momo said as she flopped down upon the mattress.

"Don't get too comfortable," replied Toshiro. "We're leaving first thing in the morning. We're just lucky that there was one leaving this soon."

Toshiro, Momo and Shuuhei were lounging around in a small room they had managed to rent for the night. Renji and Izuru were probably still at the markets seeing what else they could eat. Surprisingly, even without any signs or symbols upon them, the villagers of He'tuang recognised them from the imperial army and quite happily extended out their hospitalities. Of course, they had to question why a female was travelling with them, and much to Momo chagrin, her comrades fabricated a story involving her wandering around the Northern Plains for days on end on the brink of insanity.

"_Why would you tell them such a thing!" she hissed as soon as they were out of earshot. "Now all I'm going to get are sympathy looks!"_

"_Tough it up, Momo," chuckled Renji. "We had to walk down the mountains all the way here on foot, so it's only fair that you suffer a little too."_

"_Besides, Momo, you disguised as a male and joined the army. You're already half insane!" added Shuuhei._

"_Toshiro," Momo said, whipping her head around to him in hopes that he would defend her._

_He shrugged. "We had to tell them something."_

"_.Ro."_

"Captain, should I be the one writing to the emperor?" Shuuhei shifted in his seat to face him, brush in hand.

Toshiro dug around in his pockets before withdrawing a small golden seal engraved with the symbol of the imperial army. He tossed it to Shuuhei. "Just seal the letter with that."

"Right."

Shortly after, he had finished the letter and left to send it off. Renji and Izuru had yet to return, leaving Toshiro and Momo the only ones in the room. Momo turned over so that she was lying on her stomach.

"So how long does it take to reach Chang'an by boat?"

"Well on this one, about a week. There are rapid currents further down."

"I see…" There was an awkward silence that no amount of trivial questions could fill. Momo wanted to know more about Toshiro. She wanted to know everything. "Toshiro, where do you live? In Chang'an?" she asked hopefully.

"Yeah. I practically live inside the palace, but my family…well I guess I own a house just outside of it."

The wistful tone at the mention of his family, and how he subtly mentioned that he no longer had one, made Momo choke back a sob. She didn't want him to think about that, at least not now.

"Aw, no fair! You live in the rich area!" she said enthusiastically, trying to make it seem like it was a big deal.

He smirked and bent down to flick her on the forehead. "Hey, I've been working as a soldier ever since I was a kid, and for that I don't deserve some remuneration?"

"Ow, that hurt. Toshiro, you jerk."

"Keep that up and maybe I'll forget that trip to Qingtian like I planned."

Momo shot up and looked at him with glowing eyes. "You planned on going to Qingtian?!"

"Yes," he chuckled.

"Oh, that's great! I'll show you around my place and then we can go down to the tearoom-"

"Is this a date I hear you talking about?"

Momo stopped mid-rant and blushed bright red. She looked down and twiddled with her fingers. "Ah…urm…well, i-if you want it to be?"

He placed a hand on her head. "It's a date then."

Momo couldn't control her smile or her excitement as she jumped out of the bed to tackle him with a hug. However, she stubbed her toe on the floorboards, causing her to lose balance and fall forward.

"Momo!" Toshiro lunged out, grabbing her and taking the impact of the fall. She of course, landed on top of him and when they opened their eyes, they saw just how close their faces were to each other. They stared at each other.

"Ummm…Toshiro…"

"Hey, we're back and we brought you some…food…"

Momo and Toshiro both turned their heads to see Renji at the door, holding up a steaming bag in the air with his mouth wide open. Shuuhei and Izuru were just behind him, looking equally as shocked. Renji slowly lowered the bag and then had to fight to keep from laughing.

"Ah, didn't know you moved that fast, hehe. C'mon guys, we should leave them _alone._"

Renji turned around, laughter already starting to escape him. Izuru averted his eyes as quick as he could, looking just as embarrassed as the couple on the floor, and Shuuhei tipped Momo a huge wink before closing the door.

*****

"Oh man! I gotta admit that Momo is something all right! Who else could make the captain go all soft and mushy?! Did you see how red his face was?!" Renji guffawed into the night.

"You'd think he'll yell at us for barging in?"

"Aw, you worry too much, Izuru! And hey, we could hide behind Momo if that ever happens! Hehe, who would've thought?"

"Hey." Shuuhei punched Renji in the arm. "Where's the food?"

Renji lifted up the bag only to have it promptly taken away by a ravenous Shuuhei. He started to shovel in dumplings like there was no tomorrow. "Hey, leave some for us!"

"First come, first serve."

"Argh, no! You ate the last Shichuan pork!"

The three lost track of time as they wandered through He'tuang, occasionally creating loud commotions over petty matters. Renji had chased Shuuhei through half the village after he finished nearly their entire supply of dumplings by himself (Izuru got some because he was nice and asked politely). With the moon high in the sky as a reminder, the three started to trek back to the hostel.

"You think they're off the floor yet? As funny as it is seeing the captain all soft, I really don't want to hear things that go bump in the night."

"And we're all in the same room as well."

"You know…I don't think they'd actually do anything while we're there."

"What? So you mean they do things when…Argh, Izuru! Why'd you have to put that image in my mind?!"

"I didn't imply anything! It was your own perverted mind!"

"True, Lipsticks."

The streets were near bare with only a few stragglers remaining, but they would soon be inside. Lamps were being blown out; the village was going to sleep. As they turned the corner they saw a lone person in the distance, hidden by shadows. Renji stopped and squinted into the darkness.

"Why does he look so familiar? Dammit, where's some light when you need it?"

"Wait, he's coming out."

The figure shifted out, making him only half hidden. The three could not recognise the back of his head, but then he turned it to the side, revealing his sharp profile and black shades. He looked from side to side before walking down the street, away from them. The three gasped.

"Oi, isn't that Lieutenant General Iba? Maybe we should catch up with him. OI–mmph!"

Shuuhei had smacked his hand over Renji's mouth. Together, he and Izuru pulled him behind a house. Renji shoved the offending hand away.

"What was that all about?" he hissed furiously.

"Are you an idiot, Renji? Did you see how suspiciously he was acting? And another thing: isn't he supposed to be _dead_?!"

"It's not like every bloody man who goes of to war dies, Shuuhei!"

"Then why was he hiding this from us for so long?" Shuuhei inched his head out to see if the Lieutenant General was still in sight. He was.

"Maybe he couldn't find us!"

"I don't know…something doesn't feel right. I'm getting a bad feeling from him. Let's go follow him!"

"Are you sure about this, Shuuhei?" Izuru said, sticking his head out as well.

"Think about it: if he's up to something, we'll know. If he's not, well then we don't have anything to worry about. It's a win-win situation! Now come on! He's getting away," said Shuuhei before he slid around the corner, flitting from shadow to shadow.

"He does have a good point. Well," – Izuru took in a deep breath – ", here goes nothing!"

Renji crossed his arms and closed his eyes, deep in thought…for a second. His expression changed from one of annoyance to one of excitement and he followed his friends quite enthusiastically. "Now this is more like it!"

They followed Iba straight out of He'tuang and into the Northern Plains, where the covers were not so abundant. Luckily for them, Iba did not head straight into the heart of the plains, but rather for a cluster of trees about a mile away from He'tuang. It was not a large forest, but it was still considerable.

"What is the standard for a Lieutenant General?" whispered Renji as they entered the forest, treading carefully on the littered ground. "He didn't even notice us following him out in the open!"

"Be quiet or else we'll get caught in here! And that would be just sad."

"Stop fighting you two. Do I really have to be the buffer all the time?" Izuru rubbed his head in exhaustion. He opened his eyes and leaned forward. "Hey…he's getting away."

"What?! After him!" said Shuuhei before he leapt for the cover of the next tree.

Iba lead them into a small clearing, or rather a space where four trees were felled, leaving behind a small space with four makeshift chairs. A few feet from the space was a large growth of vegetarian which the three took to their advantage. They saw Iba sit down, and shortly after three other figures emerged from the trees. Iba jerked his head back and the three sat down and removed their hoods. Renji dug his fingers into the dirt.

"It's him!"

Izuru became pale. "No…there's no way…how could he have survived? How could all of them have survived?"

"You know what they say, Izuru," Shuuhei gritted through his teeth, anger barely contained. "It's the things you hate that are the hardest to get rid of."

"Wait…this means…this whole time…the Lieutenant General was working for Aizen?"

"Seems like it…damn that traitor! How could he betray his country like that?!"

"Dammit! Dammit all! C'mon, let's just take them out right here, right now! Traitors and all! It's almost even numbers," Renji said in a fierce whisper, eyes ablaze.

"Renji, we can't!" Izuru countered frantically. "Look! They survived that avalanche, that fall…it's like they're demons! We have to find out what they're up to first. That'll give us the advantage, and then we can tell the captain and plan a counterattack."

Shuuhei nodded stoically. "Izuru's right. We have to play it smart…for now."

The three watched on as their enemies sat there, seemingly doing nothing…that was until Aizen opened his mouth.

"It seems as if the imperial army's tactics have turned into our favour. No one will expect us to be alive. The element of surprise is in our hands."

Iba spoke up. "My lord, the surviving imperials have already sent word to the emperor about our defeat."

"Excellent."

"So, Aizen, when are we striking?" asked Gin as he casually leaned forward, chin resting on folded hands. Iba threw him a dirty look.

"Do not use his lord's name so casually."

"Whoops." Gin widened his smile. "I apologise to his lord for my mistake."

Aizen waved the matter away. "I plan to strike the night before the New Year. What better way to start off my reign over all of China? Iba, you still have access into the Imperial Palace, am I correct?"

"Yes, my lord."

"And it is certain that your loyalties to me still remain unknown?"

"Yes, my lord. Of that I am certain."

"Very well, you will enter into the Imperial Palace from the front. Make sure the emperor is certain of our defeat and keep track of his position. Near midnight we will come in from the West, and enter into the palace through the side doors. Will there be guards in the entrance room?"

"Very few, if not none."

"Good, good. Gin, Tousen, I trust you will take care of any guards?"

"Don't worry about it," said Gin. Tousen merely nodded.

"Then Iba, make sure to bring the emperor there. It shouldn't take too long for me to kill that old fool; and then when the New Year beings, the very first thing the citizens of Chang'an will see is the new emperor of China." Aizen looked at each of his remaining, but most elite soldiers. "Do you all understand what is to happen?"

"Yes sir."

Renji, Izuru and Shuuhei back away as quickly and quietly as they could, turning around only when they placed a fair distance between them. When they exited the forest, they ran full out back towards He'tuang.

"We did it!" exclaimed Renji. "Now all we gotta do is tell the captain their plan!"

"And the best thing is that they believe the element of surprise is still in their hands!" Shuuhei punched a fist into the air. "I can't believe how much information we managed to get!"

"Good thing too. Now we'll be able to plan an effective counterattack; one that they won't survive this time!" Izuru said excitedly.

"C'mon! We have to hurry up and tell the captain!"

*****

_**Northern Plains  
**__**Forest**_

*****

Aizen smiled in the direction of the bushes the three imperial soldiers were previously hiding behind. He had his hands folded just in front of his chin, and an expression of a person just about to call checkmate.

"So, did our guests hear our conversation?"

"Every word, my lord."

His smile grew larger and very causally, he threw a small dagger at a nearby sapling. The blade pierced deeply into the trunk and caused numerous cracks to be born in the bark. Golden sap slowly started to trickle out, dripping to the ground like blood.

"Checkmate."

* * *

Next update: 5 minutes


	24. Hardened Unease

**Chapter 22 – Hardened Unease**

*****

_**China  
**__**He'tuang**_

*****

Back in the hotel room, Toshiro was lying chest-first on the ground while Momo was sitting on his back, preventing him from getting up.

"Hmph. This is what you get, Toshiro," she said, making sure to press her full weight against him. "If you didn't try and play hero, we wouldn't have looked like we were doing something unappropriate!"

"Are you serious?" he yelled, cheek squashed against the floor. "This is the thanks I get for breaking your fall?"

"Thank you then, but I've never been so embarrassed in my life!"

"You sure know how to be gracious. Now do you mind getting off of me? I don't want to have to push you off."

"I'd like to see you try!" she replied. Nevertheless, she made to stand up, only to wobble over in the process, banging her head against the bed frame.

"Owwww!" she whined, rubbing her head.

"Jeeze, Momo, how did you get so clumsy?" Toshiro chastised as he pulled himself into a sitting position. Leaning over, he removed Momo's hand to check the spot himself, just to make sure it wasn't anything serious. He gave it a smart rap, earning him a glare. "Nothing major."

"Hmph! "nothing major" he says."

Toshiro pecked her cheek and rose up to lock the door. The click pierced the room and Toshiro walked back, pulling Momo onto the bed with him. His arms wrapped around her in a strong embrace and pulled them both down onto the soft material. Momo tucked her head underneath his chin.

"Mmhm, this is nice…but you're still a jerk."

"Always the same, Momo. You're so stubborn…except when…" He moved his hand up and brushed at her neck. She whacked it away.

"Don't even think about it, Toshiro. I want to stay like this for a while."

"Whatever you want."

"…Say, Toshiro…don't get mad, alright?"

"But?"

"But…so are you my boyfriend?"

Though she couldn't see, Toshiro quirked an eyebrow up. "Do you let every guy get this close to you?"

"No!" she said indignantly, but then became pacified. "W-well…it's just that I've never had one before…so…so I'm just making sure! …Jerk."

Toshiro laughed and ruffled her hair. "Yes, Momo. I'm your boyfriend, you're my girlfriend, and we're a couple. Can I make that any clearer?"

"Just making sure. You know that I love you…right?"

"Oh, I don't know about that…"

"Toshiro!"

He tilted her head up and gave her a brief but passionate kiss. "See what I mean? So easy." Light kisses were planted on her forehead, cheeks and eyelids. "Idiot, of course know that. And if it will make you feel better, I love you too. I mean it every time I say it. Now stop worrying."

She opened her mouth to say something, but was interrupted by the sudden rattling of the doorknob. When the person outside realised that it was locked, he began to knock urgently on the door. "Hey, hey! Open up!"

Momo sat up. "Is that Renji?"

"Sounds like something important." Toshiro rose up and headed for a door. He opened it without warning, and Renji nearly fell down on him. "What's going on, Abarai?"

"Captain, we found out that Aizen and three of his soldiers are still alive-"

"But that's not all, captain!" interrupted Shuuhei. "Lieutenant General Iba is on his side. In fact he never left it-"

"And they're planning to kill the emperor on the night before New Year!" said Izuru.

Toshiro looked at his three subordinates in speechlessness. It was a lot to absorb in one go, but there was one thing he couldn't seem to grasp. "Are you sure…Are you sure that it was Lieutenant General Iba?"

"Yes, captain! He was the one we followed, and he led us straight to Aizen himself! We couldn't believe it either…" Izuru slowed down, finally catching the look on Toshiro's face. Anger and…devastation. "But…but it's true, captain," he finished meekly.

Toshiro clenched his hands unconsciously. How could the Lieutenant General betray his country like that? Betray his people? …Betray his father's trust in him?

'_Father…father, did you ever find out? Did you find out…when it was too late? …Father…I know now, and it's not too late. I'll make sure he'll pay for throwing away your trust. I promise.'_

Momo walked up next to him and placed her hand lightly over his, rubbing out his tense muscles. His hands relaxed and he gave her a small smile of thanks before turning back to the three with hard-set eyes. "Alright, tell me everything you heard and make sure not to leave a single detail out."

"Yes sir!"

*****

Momo tossed under the covers, struggling in vain to drift off into sleep. There was another bed on the other side of the room, occupied by Shuuhei. The rest were sleeping on the floor. Before, they had drawn lots to see who would sleep where. During their time spent together, the distance between the four males had closed dramatically. They weren't on first-name basis yet (as mutually agreed, that would be awkward), but everything between them, and Momo, was fair and not determined by ranking or gender.

She turned on her side so she was facing the bare wall and let out a heavy sigh. Rukia, who was previously lying on the top of her pillow, crawled down until she appeared into Momo's vision.

"What's wrong, Momo?"

"I don't know, Rukia," she mumbled. "I don't know why, but I have this really bad feeling."

"Yeah? About what?"

"What the guys told Toshiro about Aizen."

Rukia's forehead creased in confusion. "Why are you getting bad feelings from that? C'mon, Momo! We know their plan. They're done for!"

"It…it's just…" She sighed when she couldn't place words to her feelings. "It just doesn't seem right, that's all. …I mean, Renji did say that Aizen planned to kill the emperor in the entrance room, right?"

"Yeah."

"And then he said that Aizen was going to walk out at midnight as the new emperor?"

"Mhm."

"That's what doesn't seem right." Momo turned so that she was lying on her back, staring up at the ceiling with her arms spread out to the sides. "Why would he just kill the emperor and then walk out? It doesn't seem like his style. It seems like he's more likely to kill emperor Yamamoto in front of all his people as proof of his power or something like that."

"Momo, you're scaring me here. Since when did you know so much about him?" Rukia spoke very quickly.

"No, I'm only making guesses from what I've seen and experienced. I don't…I don't ever want to know that man."

"So what did you see?"

Momo lifted her head and looked down towards the floor where Toshiro was sleeping. His face was turned towards her, and she could see him breathing slowly and peacefully. He was untouched by any emotion, safe in the realm of unconsciousness. She placed her head back down.

"I saw…I saw what he…what Aizen did t-to…t-to the b-body of Toshiro's father." A few tears leaked out. Voicing that out was harder and more painful than she expected.

"Oh…" Rukia didn't know what to say. She bit her lips as her mind was in panic, trying to find something to say that wouldn't make everything worse, but luckily, Momo continued to speak.

"H-he didn't leave his–his body to rest…a little more peacefully o-on the ground. He had to…had to show t-the whole world that…that…that he had killed his father!" An unexpected sob escaped her throat and Momo quickly covered her mouth. "H-he's just awful."

After a moment's of silence, Rukia spoke in a timid voice. "Are you going to tell them about this?"

"…No…I'm just…I'm probably just over-thinking. I guess that Aizen would just be in a hurry to be the new emperor…and besides, I'm probably just biased because every time I hear his name, I can't help but think back to that time." She took in a deep breath. "And I don't want to mention his father in front of him. …Toshiro really loved him."

"You're sure about this?"

"Yes. I shouldn't be putting doubts into their heads, especially when we've already come this far. And we do know that he'll be there in Chang'an. It'll all be fine. Goodnight, Rukia."

"Goodnight, Momo."

*****

"Are you almost done, Momo? The boat's going to leave without you."

"I coming, I'm coming!"

Toshiro was leaning against the door frame, arms crossed and wearing a smirk. Momo was kneeling down on the floor besides her bed, quickly shoving in the last of her items. Renji and Izuru were waiting on the boat while Shuuhei had gone to deliver another message to the emperor.

"See? I'm all done," she said as she rushed past him, catching him in the stomach with her bag. "Now you're the one who's late!"

He caught up with her easily. "I'm not captain for nothing, you know."

"Yeah, you're captain because of your huge ego. I still remember that first day."

"Liked what you saw, hm?"

"I saw that you had a huge ego and was a complete show-off."

"Very impressive, no doubt."

"My point remains."

Toshiro laughed. "No, it's to gain the proper respect. To be a captain, one must have the proper abilities and be able to show those abilities. Through them you gain the respect of your subordinates."

"Or their fear."

"Also true."

They reached the dock and boarded the small boat with minutes to spare. Shuuhei came running just as the sails were flared. As soon as he hopped on the boat was off.

"Alright, I got the message done. Now the emperor knows what to expect."

"Good, now all we have to do is wait and strike. We have the upper hand. It's about time Aizen, and everyone under him pay for their crimes. Do this, and China will no longer be shadowed. Finally, China and its people will be safe."

"Yes sir!"

As Renji, Shuuhei and Izuru became motivated by Toshiro's short speech, they began to talk excitedly among themselves. Momo sat quietly, chewing on the inside of her cheek, listening as their voices became more distant. Her unease came back. It failed to disappear with the night.

"Momo, are you feeling alright? You look a little red. Do you have a fever?" Toshiro shuffled closer to her and placed his cool hand upon her forehead.

"N-no! I'm fine," she said, a little too quickly.

He removed his hand and looked at her silently for a minute. "What are you thinking about?"

She couldn't tell him that. "Nothing really…say, is Jin going to be alright in there?" She turned around and peered over the edge towards the smaller boat that was being tugged. Since there wasn't enough room for Jin on the main boat, he had to ride in a separate one.

"He'll be fine. He's basically on a smaller version of this one."

"That's good." Momo sighed and let out a relieved smile. "It would be terrible if I lost him. I've had him since forever."

A frosty silence crept up upon them, making Momo wonder if she had said something wrong. Her hands flew up to her mouth. She had forgotten about Hyo, and how he was no longer alive. Toshiro's expression hardened.

"A-ah, I'm so sorry, Toshiro," she whispered self-consciously.

"No, it's alright. I just lost myself for a moment." He smiled wistfully up at the sky. "Besides, if I'm not reminded of them, I'll forget them. It's alright. It gets better with time. Trust me…I know."

His words made her slightly relieved, but still…

'_I can't just forget how much pain was in your face, Toshiro.' _She joined him and looked up at the sky with her resolve hardened, but unease still present. '_Please. Please let this go alright.'_

* * *

Next update: 5 minutes


	25. Late

**Chapter 23 – Late**

*****

_**China  
**__**Chang'an**_

*****

The familiar buildings of Chang'an stretched out in front of them like a comforting blanket. While it was the hometown to only Toshiro, it was so close to all of the villages they called home that it was a relief just the same. After four months they took their first step back onto familiar grounds.

"Finally! We're back!" Renji stretched out his arms and took in a great breath of air. "This is great!"

"I know. It feels like years since I've last been here," said Izuru.

"We can't relax yet. It's New Year's Eve and we have something to take care of before we can begin anew."

"Right, captain." Shuuhei looked towards the rising sun. "Are we going to the imperial palace now? It seems a bit early."

"The earlier the better. He must be protected at all costs. We can't afford to fail after we've come this far." He turned towards Momo. "Momo, you better put your hair up again, and try to keep yourself unnoticed. The last thing we need is for the emperor to find out."

"Yeah, alright."

They made their way easily towards the palace for there was nobody out to hinder their progress. Momo tied Jin to the entrance of the courtyard and they ascended towards the front doors. The soldiers standing guard saluted Toshiro and opened the doors for them.

"Okay, you four, stay behind me. And whatever you do, don't speak unless a question is directed at you. Momo, you especially," he said as they walked in.

A small side-door swung open, revealing a scholar. He walked up to Toshiro with a smile on his face. "Toshiro! Or rather, Captain Hitsugaya!"

"Hello, Master Fu Zhou. It's good to see you after so long."

"And you as well. What brings you here so early in the morning? Have you come to tell the emperor of Aizen's defeat in person? I would expect so. It is something you should hold very proudly." He gave Toshiro a sympathetic look. "But I apologise, Toshiro. Even though the emperor is awake, he is busy with tonight's preparations. The people are excited as well. What better way to start off the New Year than with the defeat of China's greatest adversary?"

"But Master-"

Master Fu Zhou shook his head, cutting across Toshiro. "I apologise again, but you know how the emperor is. Don't worry; you'll get your chance to tell him about your victory tonight. Now please, enjoy the day in the city." He bowed and retreated back into the room behind the door, leaving Toshiro no choice but to lead everyone back out.

"What's going on here?" he said as soon as they exited the courtyard. "How is it that the emperor still believes that Aizen is dead? Hisagi, did you send the message?"

"Yes, captain. I made it very clear that Aizen and his subordinates were still alive. I even used the same messenger bird to send it."

"Then I don't see how the emperor would not have received the message."

"Maybe…" Renji started slowly. "Maybe Iba isn't the only one on Aizen's side. I mean, there could be another person inside the palace that's working undercover."

"That is a valid point, Abarai, but unfortunately we can't do much about it now. The emperor is barred from any visitors, even me. We have no choice but to wait for dusk. That's when we can most likely enter into the palace, and if not, we'll just have to sneak in."

"Yes, captain! But what do we do now?"

"For now, we'll just have to keep guard outside the palace. If we can catch Aizen before he enters the palace, all the more better. I'll head up now and keep a look out for Iba. You four can go get something to eat and then meet me back there."

Renji rubbed his hand in anticipation. "Awesome! Thanks, captain! C'mon guys, let's go!"

"Right behind you, Lipsticks!"

"Toshiro, do you want anything?"

"Anything's fine."

"Alright, see you later!" Momo pecked him on the lips before running off to catch up with the other three.

*****

"Oh no, where are they?"

Momo pushed her way through the throng of people. A few moments before the streets were bare, but now she couldn't walk ten steps without getting jostled.

'_New Year must be catching up with everybody. I guess I should just head back to the palace. The others will probably be there as well, and Toshiro's food is getting cold.'_

With her eyes on the distant pagodas, Momo began to push her way back towards the palace. She tumbled out of a packed street into one that was calmer. She was half-jogging down the street when she saw Renji in the distance. She picked up her pace with the intent of catching up with him, but then noticed him slipping into a secluded alleyway. Wondering what was going on, she followed discretely behind.

Renji led her to the outskirts of Chang'an, to a small stone shrine nestled between two trees. There was a large rock nearby that Momo used to conceal herself. She peered over the edge at Renji who was no more than fifteen feet away. He knelt down and bowed.

"Hello, father. How are you?"

Momo gasped. His father was dead?

"Well I'm back from the war, just like I promised. Ah, you should have seen me, beating up the Chao like there was no tomorrow! But I guess you did see me. I hope you're proud of me up there. Anyway, we're not done yet. Somehow, Aizen survived, but we're taking care of him tonight and there's no way I'm joining you up there so early!" He laughed but then looked fondly at the shrine. "Well take care, father. I'll come visit you again after New Year."

He bowed again, and Momo decided that now would be the best time to run away before he caught her eavesdropping. But as she lowered herself, her hand lost its grip and brought her down. Her chin landed painfully on the rock.

"Ow!" she cried, standing up and rubbing her chin.

"Momo? What are you doing here?"

Momo opened her eyes and saw Renji staring at her, waiting for an answer…or rather an explanation. She looked sheepishly at the ground. "…Sorry, Renji. I saw you heading off somewhere…and I was just curious. I um, didn't mean to intrude."

He stared at her before giving her a forgiving smile, one that looked strange on his usually boisterous face. "Nah, it's alright, Momo," he said before beckoning her over. "Hey, old man, sorry to interrupt you again but this is Momo, and guess what? She disguised as a male and joined the army! Can you believe that?! She is one strange girl!"

"Hey! I'm not…I'm not that strange!"

"Sure you aren't, Momo." He turned back. "Well now I'm really heading off. See ya later, father."

He got up and walked back towards Chang'an, Momo following behind.

"Um, Renji…if you don't mind me…um, I mean if you don't mind…I know it's rude b-"

"Nah, it happened a long time ago, so I'm pretty much fine about it now. Anyway, my father, he went off to defend Chang'an ten years ago, you know when Aizen decided to attack it. But he didn't have any training. He wasn't made for battle, but he still went. Of course, he got killed.

"Anyway, after that I began to train myself more. I wanted to become strong enough to take down the people who killed him, you know? Fight in his name and all, be a son that he can watch over proudly."

Momo smiled. "You're really kind, Renji. And is that why you were so accepting of me when I told you why I decided to join the army?"

"Yeah, you got me there. When my father was killed, I was only eight, but I would have given anything to be stronger and take his place."

"And…what would you say if I joined not only to protect my father, but also because I wanted to prove my worth?"

"Well you still wanted to protect him, right? Keep him alive?"

"Yes! Of course!"

"Then you're fine with me. Hey, I wanted to make myself stronger to beat Shuuhei in a match of arm wrestle as well!"

"And how did that turn out?"

He flexed his arm. "Undefeated to this day!"

*****

Night had settled and instead of being in the palace or just outside of it, the five of them were ushered down into the courtyard where it was packed. There was a lot of noise; everybody was excited for when the emperor would come down to greet them personally. Such a thing did not happen often. It took them a while to dislodge themselves from the crowd and into the small space between the palace and the western wall.

"Since we can't warn the emperor, we'll just have to make sure Aizen doesn't get anywhere near him," said Toshiro as they ran single file down the space. "It seems a little too early for his planned attack, but we can't take any chances."

They reached the side of the palace where there were several small doors. Toshiro stopped in the middle and turned to Izuru. "Kira, as soon as you see the enemy appear over the wall, shoot them down."

"Right, captain," he replied, sliding an arrow into his fingers.

"But we can't afford to be too careless either. Abarai, Hisagi, you two go out near the front and keep watch over the emperor. Be sure to stay in a location where it is easy to reach him quickly if need be. However, come straight back if Aizen comes this way."

"Yes, captain!" replied the two before they ran off.

"Momo, you and me will stay here. Most likely they'll stick to their plan and come this way. We'll attack them as they come down."

"Toshiro, isn't it strange that Iba isn't in the palace like they said he would be?"

"It is, but when you think about it, I wasn't allowed further than the entrance room. Perhaps they found out about that and decided to lay low. After all, we didn't see him during the day."

"True…" She took in a deep breath and took the plunge. "But doesn't something feel wrong to you?"

"Like what?"

"I can't explain it, but I'm getting a bad feeling. Nothing's going right. Iba's not in the palace and no one knows that he's with Aizen, or even that Aizen's still alive!"

"Momo, calm down." Toshiro pulled her into a hug and rubbed her back. "I'm sure it's just the nerves getting to you. I'm sorry. I should never have brought you here in the first place."

"It's not like you could keep me away anyway. I wouldn't leave you alone at the time like this! But still…Toshiro, I really can't get rid of this bad feeling!"

He kissed her forehead. "It's fine, Momo."

As soon as he finished, a shadow passed over them both. They looked up and saw a black falcon drifting above. Toshiro tensed and pushed Momo behind him, drawing out his sword.

"Kira, stay on the alert. They're near."

"How do you know, Toshiro?" Momo whispered.

"Because that's Aizen's falcon."

Momo looked up and saw the small black falcon circling lazily in the sky, just above the third storey balcony. That balcony was large and wide, and it was a place everyone below could see most clearly. Momo remembered her parents taking her there for one of Emperor Yamamoto's speeches when she was very little.

"_Mama, why is the emperor standing all the way up there? He looks so little."_

"_That's because everyone can see him up there, even the people at the back, on the streets and in their houses. And from up there, the emperor can see the whole of Chang'an, the heat of China."_

Momo gasped and grabbed Toshiro's arm. He turned around with worry in his eyes. "Momo? What's wrong?!"

"Everything," she breathed. "Toshiro! Aizen intercepted our letter! That falcon of his; he must have gotten it to intercept our letter and now he knows that we know about his plan, but even so, maybe he already knew!"

"Momo, you're not making much sense."

"No, Toshiro, don't you see? Why would Aizen plan on killing the emperor where no one could see him? He's not like that!"

"And why do you think that?"

"Because…" She gulped. "Because of what he did to your father! Toshiro, he could have left him in the snow, but he decided to show us all what he had done! He's like that! And if he kills the emperor where everyone could see, wouldn't that make people even more afraid of him? And that's what he would want! Toshiro, I'm sorry, but I really think it's true!"

"…So where do you think he'll be?"

She was taken aback. "Toshiro…you trust me?"

He nodded. "Yes. If you're this sure about it then something there must be right, and your logic does make sense, so tell me where."

"On the balcony. My mother once told me from up there everyone could see you and you could see everyone."

"Alright. Kira, you stay here but be ready to move at my word."

"Yes sir!"

As they ran back they could hear the doors opening and Emperor Yamamoto walking out. They reached where Renji and Shuuhei were standing and jumped onto the white railing, ready to run up to the emperor, but no sooner than they landed, screams erupted from the crowd.

On the roof, dislodging himself from the shadows was Aizen. Gin and Tousen jumped down, landing on both side of the emperor and dragging him back inside the palace.

"NO!"

Toshiro ran up the stairs and Momo hastened herself to keep up. Hearing his scream, Renji, Shuuhei and Izuru came running as well. When Toshiro reached the top, the first thing he felt was a pain just below his shoulder. The doors were nearly closed, with only a gap large enough to see one person. Standing there with his bow still held up was Iba.

"How sad. You imperials are so easy to fool," he said before the doors closed shut with a deafening bang.

* * *

Next update: 5 minutes


	26. For China

**Chapter 24 – For China**

*****

_**Chang'an  
**__**Imperial Palace**_

*****

"Toshiro, please just hold still for a minute! I know we don't have much time, but-" Momo left her sentence unfished as she bandaged him as quickly as possible. Her fingers were shaking badly. As soon as she was done, Toshiro leapt up and shoved his weight against the doors.

"Dammit, of course it's locked!" he growled.

"We'll just have to break in. If it's for the sake of his life, then I'm sure the emperor won't mind a few broken windows!" said Momo.

She broke into a run towards the nearest window and the others followed behind. The windows out the front were too high, so they smashed through one on the western wall. They tumbled into what seemed to be a deserted study room. They wrenched open the door and found themselves in the entrance room. Leaning against the adjacent wall was Gin.

"Oh dear, looks like some rats snuck in. Go on now." He flicked the top side of his hand at them, telling them to go. "If you don't leave now, you'll find out what happens to rats that go where they don't belong."

"Captain, I'll stay here and hold him off. You all go on ahead," said Izuru, drawing out his sword. His bow and arrow would be of no use to him here; not when there were so many chances for the enemy to get close.

"Izuru, he's one of Aizen's second-in-commands!" whispered Shuuhei. "Who knows how strong he is?! I'll stay here to help you."

"No, Shuuhei. There are others too that have to be taken care of. The only thing I have to do is stall him long enough for the rest of you to rescue the emperor! If I kill him, it's a bonus."

Toshiro clasped a hand on his shoulder. "Good luck, Kira."

The others ran for the stairs, leaving Izuru to face Gin. Gin pushed himself off the wall and leant forward. "Oh dear, I was hoping you would all leave. Why would you make me draw my sword? All of this is so…tiring."

"Are you afraid of fighting me?" Izuru asked.

"Quite the contrary. You should be afraid of fighting me."

*****

Just before Momo turned the corner that would take her out of sight from the entrance room, she looked back. Gin had just slashed a long gash on Izuru's left arm. Luckily that was not his sword arm, but Izuru looked worn.

"Yachiru, go help Izuru."

"Right, Peachy-chan!"

They tore through the first floor halls without any trouble, but waiting for them just at the end of the stairs leading up to the third floor was Tousen. They skidded to a halt a good few feet away.

"Walk one step further and I shall have to exterminate you," said Tousen, placing a hand on the hilt of his sword.

"Captain, Renji, Momo, you guys go on ahead. This one's mine." Shuuhei drew out his sword and leapt up, delivering an overhead strike. Tousen blocked it easily, but the strike was only meant for a distraction. The remaining three ran past as Tousen was preoccupied.

"Kenpachi," Momo whispered.

"On it!" he replied before flying back to help Shuuhei.

The walls of the third floor rushed past them in a blur of red and gold. After turning a corner, they found themselves in a highly ornate antechamber. Behind the large double doors was a small flight of stairs that lead to the balcony, but in front of those doors standing guard was Iba. Toshio's whole body tensed up.

"Right, it's my turn now," Renji said. "You two go on and rescue t-"

"No, Abarai." Toshiro stepped out in front of him with his sword already drawn. "This one is mine."

"Toshiro…" Momo whispered.

"I can't believe I'm actually going to do this," Renji mumbled before he stepped around and grabbed Toshiro by the collar. "Captain, I know you're angry and all at him for turning traitor, but you can't let that get in the way of our mission here! Aizen is up there with the emperor and you're the strongest here out of all of us. You have to be the one to go up there while the rest of us take care of the small fry! Use your head!"

Renji let go of him. Toshiro stood there for a second before delivering a swift punch to Renji's abdomen. "Abarai…you actually made sense there. Very well, I'll leave him to you, but I'm warning you, he better be dead when you're done."

"Yes, captain!"

Toshiro started to run, but stopped when he felt Momo following him. "Momo, you stay behind and help Abarai."

"What? But what about you, Toshiro? I can't just leave you to face him alone!"

"Momo, you are not going up there. This is Aizen we're talking about! Stay here and help Renji, that's an order," he said before taking off again.

Momo glared after him, but then drew her sword, turning around to face Iba. "Rukia?" she gritted through her teeth.

"No can do, Momo. You already sent off all your other guardians. I am a guardian of the Hinamori family, so first and foremost are members of that family. Don't worry. With me here we'll beat him in no time at all!"

*****

Emperor Yamamoto stood tall and unwavering as Aizen prowled around him. He followed his movements with watchful eyes, showing no signs of running away or defending himself.

"Long time no see, your Excellency. It's a shame that this will be our last meeting."

"Sosuke Aizen, you will never be emperor of China."

"Oh, but I beg to differ, your Excellency. You see, once you are dead, your throne will be free, free for me to sit upon as the new emperor of China."

"You can place the title of emperor upon yourself, but an emperor is nothing without his people, and you will never gain the people of China. You will never earn their respect."

"Respect?" Aizen smirked and walked out to the very front of the balcony where all of Chang'an could see him. He drew out his sword, earning him a collective gasp from the crowd. He turned back around, satisfied. "These people are weak. Respect or not, they are afraid of me and will do nothing once I become the emperor of China. How do you feel now, knowing that your people have failed you?"

Yamamoto's voice hardened. "You are mistaken, Sosuke. They have not failed me."

Furious that Yamamoto was showing no signs of resignation, Aizen withdrew his spearhead. He held it high in the air where it gleamed. He was about to bring it down when Toshiro burst through the doors, going straight at Aizen with a strike. He changed the course of his spearhead so that it blocked the incoming sword.

"My, my, if it isn't the captain himself. How do you do?"

"Aizen!" Toshiro slashed at him again, forcing him to move away from Yamamoto. He stood between them, glaring at Aizen with pure hatred. "If it's the last thing I do, I swear I'll kill you!"

"Interesting. I'm certain that was the notion of your father as well before he died in battle."

"YOU!" Toshiro charged at him, bringing his sword down. A small cut appeared on Aizen's cheek. "You'll pay for that!"

*****

"My, my, is that all you've got?" sneered Gin. He stepped back to see his kneeling opponent, his sword held in front of his body just in case.

Izuru was on the floor, panting heavily and wincing from the pain of a long cut down his arm. Blood oozed out slowly, dripping down and staining the palace floors with red splotches. He tightened his grip on his sword and went in with a charge.

"You'll pay for joining up with Aizen!"

He brought his sword down. Gin evaded, but only by a hair's breath. Izuru had to quickly bring his sword behind him to prevent a laceration to his back.

"Oh, very good. You're not half bad." Gin smirked and withdrew his sword.

"Don't look down on me!"

Izuru ran forward yet again, drawing his sword back for a quick strike. He swung his sword, but found it slashing through the air where his opponent was just a second ago.

"If you insist," Gin whispered into his ear, the cold metal of his sword pressed against his neck. Izuru froze completely. How could someone be so fast? It wasn't human. He drew his sword lightly across so that a thin, red line appeared on Izuru's throat. "I'll stop holding back."

In a second he appeared in front of him, pushing his sword out in a stab. Izuru was barely able to block his startling attack. He was pushed back by the sheer power behind it. He heard Gin tut.

"You're not much of a challenge at all. How boring."

Gritting his teeth and emitting a low growl, Izuru rose up on his feet, determined to continue fighting. Gin sighed in amusement and stepped in with lightening-fast footsteps. Izuru moved his foot for a side-step while simultaneously realising that it would be of no use. He wasn't quick enough.

'_No! It can't just end like this!'_

Gin's face suddenly came into view. It was all he could see. His last vision before death. Just as Gin's sword came swishing in, he felt himself being tugged towards the side. The steel made contact with thin air. With a start, Izuru looked down, realising that it was his own feet that pulled him to safety. When did he become this fast?

"Hiya, Zuru-Zuru!" Yachiru said, landing on his shoulder. "Peachy-chan sent me here to help you, and boy do you need it!"

"Wha? So it was you who made me so fast before?"

"Yep, Zuru-Zuru! Because I'm Yachiru, the rabbit and the fastest of them all! Oh, better watch out!" she said, pointing straight ahead.

Izuru brought his sword up, and he could hardly see it because it was moving so fast. It made a powerful block against the incoming sword, so much that the impact created a loud noise. Surprise took over Gin's face. No one has ever blocked his attack like that, with the same speed and ferocity.

"Well, well, well, we can fight after all." His eyebrows formed a prominent V-shape, but his grin was ever present, making him look truly maniacal.

"You haven't seen anything yet."

They flitted around the hall matching each other move for move. Sparks flew as their swords clashed and scraped against each other like tiger claws. Neither would give in, but beads of sweat persisted in rolling down their faces. The stakes were too high. Whoever gave into their fatigue first would die.

Quite suddenly, following their last attack, Izuru fell onto one knee and coughed up blood. His throat was dry and sore, his heart was palpitating and his skin was clammy. He was shaking all over. Triumphant, Gin kicked him into the wall, causing Izuru to cry out from the impact. He fell to the floor, head bowed and grip slackened on his sword.

Gin walked up to him until he was covered in his shadow. "I must say, you are quite the skilful warrior." He raised his sword and drew it back, preparing for the final thrust. "But not skilful enough. It's been fun, but now I must end this."

Izuru stayed as he was, even when he heard the sword whizzing through the air. He couldn't move; his body didn't want to. Not an arm, a leg or a finger. He couldn't even blink. When all he could do was think about how he had failed everyone, he heard a monstrous crack. His head snapped up. Gin's sword was an inch away from his face, not moving closer or further.

"W…what?"

He looked up to his right and saw that the wooden pillar had burst open, skewering Gin's arm with a multitude of wooden spikes. Yachiru fell to his side, panting.

"Wow…Yachiru didn't – didn't think – she had enough energy left – to – do – that."

"No…impossible…"

Gin's voice acted like a trigger to Izuru's mobility. Without thinking, he grabbed the sword out of Gin's hand and swung it upwards in a powerful arc. He let his arm swing fully around, until the sword stopped itself, cutting into the wall. A thick stream of blood followed, arching gracefully. The wooden spiked retreated, withdrawing blood that splattered everywhere.

"Heh…well who would've thought?"

His deathly whisper quavered in midair, drowned out when he crashed onto the floor, arm mangled, slashed across the chest; dead.

*****

"Dammit," Shuuhei cursed as he dodged another attack. He wiped at the small cut he received on his cheek. He went in for a fresh attack, but found himself being easily defended against. He leaped away and spat in the direction of Tousen. How could he be on par with a blind man? How was it that he guarded himself so easily, and knew exactly when to strike?

"Where my vision fails, my other senses make up," said Tousen, as if reading his thoughts.

"You might have to question that thought after you find yourself dead!"

Tousen raised his sword, blocking Shuuhei's attack while simultaneously pushing his sword away so that he was defenceless. "So easy."

His sword snapped forward, digging just right of Shuuhei's abdomen. "Not worth the effort this is taking."

He withdrew his sword, causing Shuuhei to stagger back, gasping. Tousen moved his sword near his face and sniffed at the fresh blood staining the steel. He swung it back down so quick that nearly all of it was thrown off. "The scent of blood steals all integrity. I shall end this quickly."

"Not if I end it first, with your death!"

Shuuhei charged, with Tousen doing the exact same thing. Their swords clashed, but somehow Shuuhei was easily able to block and even push Tousen's sword away. He never remembered being this powerful. Tousen nearly lost his grip on his sword.

"Hey, thought I'd help you out."

Shuuhei looked to his right, where the voice floated into his ear. Kenpachi was floating next to him, arms crossed and looking smug.

"You did this to me?"

"You bet your sixty-nine tattoo I did! No one else in the zodiac can ever hope to match me for strength! And it looked like you needed some too. Imagine that, getting beat up by a blind guy." Kenpachi let out a short, harsh laugh and then got into a fighting pose. "Alright, let's kick some opposition."

With a new confidence, Shuuhei rushed in, launching a series of quick attacks towards Tousen. He effortlessly dodged each attack, showing no signs of worry. His calm exterior enraged Shuuhei and he began to execute quicker attacks, all of which were dodged.

"What the hell is going on?!" he yelled after leaping back to create some distance. He was panting heavily. "How can he keep on dodging me like that?!"

Kenpachi punched him in the head. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but calm yourself down already! You've got my strength, so start using it along with your head!"

"It's no use," Tousen said quietly. "Strength can hinder one's abilities quite effectively."

"Shut your damn mouth."

His sword slashed through the air yet again. Shuuhei rotated his wrist, hoping to catch Tousen off-guard with a quick follow up strike, but he found himself blocked.

"You may be more powerful, but that makes your footsteps heavy," Tousen said as he evaded Shuuhei's blade. "It is loud. I have no trouble sensing," – like a snake he turned around and swung his sword, surprising Shuuhei who planned on sneaking behind unnoticed – "where you are. I can hear," – he placed his hand against the flat of his blade and used it as support to block the next strike – "every movement of your blade, your steps, your breathing. And I can smell," – he lashed out, catching Shuuhei in the stomach – "the blood flowing out from your body."

Shuuhei fell back against the wall, gagging on the blood coming out from his mouth. His vision was failing him. It took so much just to keep one eye open and on his opponent that was closing in on him.

"Hey! C'mon, he's right there. Just lift your sword up and stab him in the gut!" said Kenpachi.

Shakily, he began to raise his sword, but found it knocked quickly away from him. He heard it clatter against something.

"The smell of blood is disgusting." He dropped his sword and wrapped his hands around Shuuhei's throat. "This will end now."

Shaky hands went up to try and free his neck, but his fingers scratched uselessly against Tousen's skin. Quickly his movements became less desperate, his hands were starting to fall and his eyes were beginning to cloud. He fell limp and Tousen released his hands, satisfied with his kill.

He turned and headed for the third-storey stairs. No doubt Gin had already beaten his opponent. Pitifully easy to defeat, those imperials. He relaxed his tense muscles, but then stopped.

"Oh, my sword," he muttered, turning back around just in time for a thin dagger to pierce straight into his heart. The pain was sharp and intense, but he surprise numbed it for a moment. He could hear laboured breathing. "H-how? It's not…this is…"

"Never…never assume that…that your opponents are dead…just because…they aren't…moving…" breathed Shuuhei.

Tousen fell onto his knees. "Forgive me…lord Aizen," he said before crashing forward onto the carpet.

"Shuuhei!"

He struggled to keep his eyes open. Soon, Izuru appeared in front of him, trying to staunch the wound on his stomach. He coughed up a little blood, but managed a shaky smile. "The one…the one time for you…to be late, Izuru."

"I can't believe you're joking at a time like this!"

Shuuhei let out one small laugh. "Dammit," he said before his vision turned black and his body cold.

* * *

Next update: tomorrow, when it will be completed


	27. Follow Me

**Chapter 25 – Follow Me**

*****

_**Chang'an  
**__**Imperial Palace**_

*****

"Renji, look out!"

Momo moved in, defending Renji from Iba, who had thought to strike when Renji's back was turned. She pushed his sword away and leaped back to join Renji. They both were panting heavily and bore numerous little cuts all over.

"I don't get it. How can he be defending against the two of us so easily?" Momo asked, straining to keep a steady grip on her sword.

"I don't know, Momo," Renji gritted through his teeth. "But either way, he's going down."

Momo nodded. "Right."

They separated from each other, placing themselves on either side of Iba so that he could only keep his eyes on one of them. He seemed unfazed at being boxed in. With a great shout, Renji charged, making sure to grab Iba's full attention. Iba blocked and their swords locked, pushing against each other.

"Now, Momo," whispered Rukia.

As quietly and quickly as she could, Momo leapt up, bringing her sword down towards his unguarded back. Blood flew in the air. Momo's eyes widened in shock.

"N-No way."

"I expected something a little more creative than that," Iba said, holding steady the small dagger he had used to block off Momo's larger sword. He was still keeping Renji at bay with his other. In one quick movement, he disarmed Momo and sent her sword skidding towards the doors. He kicked Momo in the stomach, sending her flying into a pillar.

"Momo!" shouted Renji.

"You should save the worry for yourself."

He side stepped, causing Renji to lose balance and stumble forward. He felt his upper arm being slashed open. Iba was now a few feet away from him, smirking at the sight of his blood rolling down his sword. Renji took a quick glance at his wound and saw that it was superficial. The sick reality caught up with him: Iba was toying with them.

"Are you tired already? I thought you were on orders to kill me?" Iba sneered.

"I am going to kill you!" Renji roared.

Momo could hear the distant-sounding clashes and bangs as she pulled herself from her mild concussion. She groaned and rubbed her head, forgetting where she was.

"Momo, are you okay?" Rukia asked frantically.

"Y-yeah…I think so." The crashed and bangs became louder, and she suddenly realised what was going on. She hastened to get up. "I have to help Renji!"

"Wait! I can help too! There's bound to be some wood here, right?"

"Yeah, in the foundations."

"If you can get me some of Iba's blood then I ca-"

A loud scream interrupted her. Momo whipped her head around towards the doors. "Toshiro! Oh no, Toshiro! I have to go help him!"

"Momo, he told you to stay down here and help Renji!"

"But – but!"

Momo bit her lips. She was torn between helping Renji and helping Toshiro. Toshiro was a captain and stronger than any of them here. She knew that he carried the best chance against Aizen, but her worry would not settle.

She shook her head. No. She couldn't go up there, not when she knew it took both her and Renji to hold off Iba…and barely as well. What kind of person would run away from a friend in need? Toshiro would just have to wait until after they had killed Iba. She swallowed the lump in her throat.

"O-okay, Rukia. What do I have to do?"

"I just need a little of his blood. Even a drop will do."

Momo nodded stiffly. So far the two of them combined could not even mark him, but she was not giving up. If they could just make one scratch; one tiny scratch. "If I get his blood, will you take care of the rest?"

"Sure thing!"

"Renji!"

Upon hearing his name, Renji grunted and pushed Iba away. He ran back to rejoin with Momo. "What is it?"

"Rukia says that we just need a little of his blood, then she'll take care of the rest."

"His blood? Well, that's what I was aiming for this entire time." Renji brought his other hand to grip the hilt and turned to fully face Iba. "No problem, but don't hold it against me if I kill him in the process."

"Not if I get there before you," Momo grinned, also readying herself for the offensive.

"Together then?"

"You distract him, I'll sneak up behind. Because," Momo quickly added in when she saw Renji's mouth opening in protest. "I'm faster than you and you're stronger then me. Make sense?"

Renji instantly ran off, leaving his voice to float back towards Momo. "You're just leaving all the dirty work up to me."

"You betcha."

*****

Toshiro staggered back, a hand placed over his left arm. He winced at the feeling of warm, sticky blood running through his fingers, and at the metallic smell that hung like curtains around him. Sweat, as well as blood from a small wound, rolled down his face and onto his chest, one that was rising and falling heavily.

"I overestimated you, captain. It seems you're not as strong as your reputation claims," drawled Aizen, looking fixatedly at the blood coating his steel.

"I'm strong enough to defeat you, Aizen!" He lifted his sword so that its point was no longer touching the ground and held it in a more threatening position. "You'll be dead before you can see the new year."

"We shall see," – Aizen charged in – "about that!"

Toshiro swung his sword in a high arc. With both his hands on the hilt, he managed to easily block Aizen's one-hand attack and push him back. He followed, feinting to his right and dealing Aizen a long gash down the right side of his body. They both jumped back.

Aizen pointed his sword out, seemingly unaffected by his injury. "Well, well, well, it seems you still have some fight left in you. But how long will it last, I wonder?"

His eyes narrowed and shifted to the left, looking at something that was beyond Toshiro. He smiled and let his sword fall with an echoing clatter.

"Giving up then, Aizen?"

"Oh yes, giving up," – he slipped a dagger into his hand and flicked it out, towards the emperor – "on attacking you."

"No!"

With precise timing, Toshiro turned and swung his sword down, knocking the small trajectory off its path. It flew off the side of the balcony, and then he felt a heavy pain in his abdomen, then in his back. The grip on his sword was lost, and his steel skidded to who knows where. He crumpled to the ground, not fully comprehending what happened. Aizen had punched him straight into the wall. He coughed out blood and phlegm.

"Disappointing, captain. You should never take your eyes off your opponent. It could very well cost you," – Aizen's arm, previously pulled back, thrust forward – "your life!"

*****

Panting heavily, Momo wiped away at the sweat blurring her vision. Her breaths were sharp, short and painful. Renji skidded back in a condition a little worse than hers. He stayed on the ground, leaning against his propped knee. The sweat and blood rolled down his face and plopped onto the ground.

"Renji _– huff – _charge in towards Iba again _– huff –_"

"What?! Are you _– huff – _crazy, Momo? We did that – _huff – _we did that last time!"

"Yeah." Momo stopped, taking in a great breath of air before continuing. "So this time we'll do things a bit differently. _– huff – _I'll pretend to faint, then you charge at him and make sure you two get close enough to me. When I give the signal, bend over on your knees."

Renji swallowed a lump, his throat stinging in protest. "What good will that do?"

"Just trust me, Renji. Are you with me?"

No longer fighting for breath, Renji straightened himself and his sword, getting into a fighting stance. "Yeah, I'm with ya."

"Good."

Momo flashed him a victory smile before letting her sword slip and falling heavily to the ground. As she laid with her eyes closed, she concentrated on the noises: the sound of feets stomping upon the ground, the painful screeches of sword meeting sword, ragged breathing and curses.

She didn't know how long she laid there, listening and waiting. It felt like a moment, and yet an eternity. Finally, she felt Renji near her. Her eyes burst open. She grabbed her sword and as she was rising up, she yelled "NOW!"

Like she was a sword cutting through, Renji immediately fell down onto his knees, his back large and exposed. Momo wasted no time in stepping upon it, having but a second to see Iba's shocked face before she swung her blade across.

Naturally dexterous as Iba was, he arched his body back, but not fast enough. A thin, red line appeared on his neck, and blood rolled down form both it and Momo's sword.

"Yes!" she screamed, jumping back down. "Renji, pull back!"

Renji hastened to scramble away before Iba could recover. Rukia flew out in the open and wet her small hands with a droplet of Iba's blood. The nearby pillar became her next destination. She placed her bloodied hands on the varnished wood and began to chant.

"Element of five, hear me, Rukia Kuchiki fifth to the line, born under thee and wooden power rests within me. I offer this blood in hopes that thee will hunt its owner relentlessly."

A great shaking tore through the room as Rukia's hands glowed with a fiery aura of green and brown. Everyone in the room was thrown off their feet, but it soon stopped, only to be followed by a loud, slow crack. And then another, piercing ominously through the room.

Splinters flew into the air.

"What the?!" Iba screamed as he raised an arm to shield his face. "What kind of trick is this?!"

"This is no trick, Iba. I can assure you of that." Momo smiled. "This is your end."

A large and thick gnarled root burst from the pillar, thrashing in the air like an agitated tentacle. It stopped, and then hurtled towards Iba with startling speed. Iba jumped, narrowly avoiding death. The tip of the root tore through the lower fabric of his pants.

But his capture was inevitable. A second root burst from the wall, spearing him straight through the arm and then wrapping itself around his wrist. More followed and soon Iba was pinned to the wall, punctured in both arms and legs.

The large root rose up again, speeding towards Iba heart, and just when it was about to pierce through, it stopped and shivered. It fell and disintegrated into dust along with all the other roots. Momo gasped and ran to catch Rukia.

"Rukia?! Hey, wake up!" she said frantically.

"That took…a lot outta me…too much…I think…" Rukia wheezed back, eyes still closed. "Just…gimme…a few…days…" And without further prompting she fell asleep.

Momo smiled lovingly at her small, resting guardian. "Thanks, Rukia."

"Hey, Momo. Why don't you go up there and see if the captain needs help?"

"Huh? But what about you and Iba?"

"Look at him, Momo." Renji jabbed a thumb behind him. Iba was in a pool of his own blood, trying and failing to stand up, even just a little. "I can take care of him easily. Besides, that's what I was meant to do in the first place."

They heard a loud crash from above.

"And it sounds like the captain could use some help."

"But Toshiro told me to stay here!"

"Yeah, to help me, and you've done that. Besides, could you really stay away?"

Momo smiled and picked up her sword, running towards the doors. "Well you're right about that!"

Renji chuckled after her and then walked slowly towards Iba. "Hope you're enjoying your last moment of life, you filthy traitor."

* * *

Next update: 5 minutes


	28. The Legend of Tao Hua Hinamori

**Chapter 26 – The Legend of Tao Hua Hinamori**

_*****_

_**Chang'an  
**__**Imperial Palace**_

*****

Momo ran up the stairs, taking two at a time.

'_Please, please, please let Toshiro be okay!'_ she thought as she burst through the other doors – just in time as well. Aizen was about to plunge this sword into Toshiro.

"NO!" she screamed, running forward and swinging her sword upwards to deflect Aizen's steel. She drove Aizen back a few paces, placing herself between him and Toshiro.

"Momo, you idiot, why did you come up here?" she heard Toshiro say quietly.

"Because you're insane if you thought I was going to let you face him without me," she muttered back, eyes never leaving the face in front of her.

"Heh, maybe I was."

Aizen moved his hand, causing Momo to raise her sword higher in anticipation, but he merely rubbed his chin in thought. For a moment he just stared at Momo, but then his eyes narrowed in furious realisation.

"You're the soldier who set off that war rocket, causing that avalanche," he hissed through his mouth.

Momo stepped back, startled. "How did you know that?"

"You think I wouldn't notice a lone fire arrow, nor hear the rocket?" He stepped forward, eyes like a bloodthirsty predator's. "You took away my victory in the Honshu Mountains, so I consider it only fair for you to surrender your life to me!"

He swung his sword down. Momo side-stepped and narrowly avoided it. Her eyes darted around, and she noticed the emperor for the first time. Right. That was the point of this whole mission. And well if guarding him was their top priority…

Momo ran towards the door, confident that Aizen would follow her. She had no other plans than to get him away from both the emperor and Toshiro. As she flew down the sitars, she could hear Aizen rushing after her. _'Hopefully' _she thought as she slammed the doors shut and dropped the latch, _'I'll think of something. …Please, anything!"_

The smell of blood in the antechamber nearly doubled during the short time she was gone. Her nose scrunched up of its own will and she didn't need to see to know that Iba was dead, most likely with his head cut off. She didn't acknowledge Renji, nor could he finish an acknowledgement to her when he saw Aizen chasing after her like a madman.

On the second floor, she took a new turn, tearing through unfamiliar hallways, hoping that Shuuhei and Izuru were okay and hoping that she wasn't running towards a dead end. Well, if worst came to worst, she could smash through a window…

"Peachy-chan!"

"Yachiru?!" Momo nearly stopped moving. "What are you doing here?"

"Because you, kiddo, are guardian-less," answered Kenpachi, floating alongside her.

"Well there's an evil, murdering madman after me. Think you can help?"

"What do you want us to do, Peachy-chan?"

"I don't know! Help maybe!"

"Pfth, are you really the person who caused that avalanche?"

"Hey, I don't see you coming up with any bright ideas!"

There was a single door at the end of the hall way and nothing else. Momo opened it and paled. It was a storage room for fireworks, with only a lone window on the opposite wall. She couldn't turn back now. There was no where else to go. In desperation, she closed the door and ran towards the window, tripping on a loose floorboard in the process.

"Ow," she whined.

She opened her eye and the first thing she saw started an idea in her head. She stood up and looked out the window, smiling even wider when she saw a string of lanterns hanging just above it.

"Yachiru, Kenpachi, I think I have an idea."

*****

Aizen turned the corner and saw the distant door close shut. He grinned; there was no where for that soldier to run now. He trapped himself in. Exhilaration coursed through his body as he wrenched open the door. Momo was standing at the very back of the room, looking scared.

"Seems there's no where else to go but to death," he sneered, walking slowly forward, hoping to instil more fear into Momo.

Suddenly, the floor beneath him gave way, trapping his foot. He snapped his head up and saw Momo smirking down at him.

"Seems you're right. Have fun in hell. Yachiru, Kenpachi, he's all yours!"

Smashing through the window, Momo grabbed hold of a lantern, using it to slide herself down to safety. Back in the room, Yachiru and Kenpachi lit the short fuse and followed Momo, leaving Aizen with only a second to feel the shock of it all.

*****

"Three, two, one," As Momo landed on the terrace, a mighty explosion rang above her. Sparkles of all colours shot into the sky and rained down like stardust. "Happy New Year."

The front doors burst open, and Toshiro ran through them. Beside herself with relief and happiness, she flew into his arm, knocking the wind out of him. She buried her head gratefully under his chin and relished the way his arms instantly wrapped around her in an embrace.

"Toshiro! Oh, Toshiro, it's all over now! It's finally all over!"

"Yes, I know. Who would've thought that you'd end up saving all of China?" he chuckled.

A steady pounding of footsteps grew louder behind them. With it came a good deal of huffing and swearing. Momo broke away from Toshiro and looked over his shoulder. Renji, Izuru and Shuuhei were walking out from the palace – rather it was Renji and Izuru walking. Shuuhei was being dragged along on a makeshift stretcher.

"Dammit!" Renji yelled, stopping just before they crossed the threshold. He threw the straps down. "I've been fighting my ass off and this is how I'm repaid?! Having to drag an invalid all over the palace?!"

"Hey, I don't see you getting stabbed in the guts," retorted Shuuhei, breaking off in a wince. "And nearly getting strangled to death."

A smile broke out on Izuru's face. He held up his heavily bandaged arm. "And I can't help you."

"Lazy!"

"Hey, guys!" Momo interrupted, running over to them. "Glad to see you're all alright and well…" she trailed off, taking in the trio's worn, blood-caked appearance. "Almost in one piece!"

Their banter and laughter were cut short when a new set of footsteps sounded. They looked back, hardly expecting to see the emperor making his way onto the terrace. Frantically, Renji dragged Shuuhei away to the side while the invalid mumbled "I can't believe the emperor's seeing me like this." The four standing bowed down as emperor Yamamoto approached.

"You may stand."

He looked at each of them in turn and then rested his sagely gaze on Toshiro. "Captain Hitsugaya, you and your men have saved all of China. Your father must be very proud of you."

Toshiro bowed his head, muttering a low and solemn "thank you."

Nodding, Yamamoto continued. "I shall be expecting you and your three men here," – he gestured to Renji, Izuru and Shuuhei – "to be attending your coronation ceremony in a week's time. China will be needing a new army and a new General, Toshiro Hitsugaya."

Toshiro bowed even lower. "Thank you, your Excellency," he said along with the other three. Looking up, his eyes shifted from the emperor to Momo. "But what of-"

Yamamoto held up a silencing hand and walk directly in front of Momo. She kept her head bowed, avoiding his gaze. He took a good look at her. "May I see your sword, young man?"

Not expecting such an out-of-the-blue question, Momo fumbled over her sword before handing it over. Yamamoto turned it so the blade was resting flat across his palm. He wiped at a base of the steel, revealing a small seal with a dragon – the emperor's seal.

"Just as I thought. So, you are honourable Long Fei Hinamori's daughter."

Momo snapped her head up, shocked. "H-how…did you know?"

"This is not the first time my eyes have laid upon this sword. I have acknowledged both it and its owner as having valiantly served our middle kingdom."

"A-ah, urm, y-your Excellency…I assure you…I didn't mean to-"

He silenced her again. "Do you realise the magnitude of what you have done? Never in history have I heard of anything like this. By joining the army, you have not only committed high treason, but you have also tarnished the reputation and honour of them, your father and me. I am sure you know the consequences for high treason."

Momo bowed her head back down in shame, so she did not see the emperor smile.

"But, there is no denying that you have single-handedly defeated Sosuke Aizen. Because of your actions, China is safe once again and for this, I give you my thanks."

To Momo's complete shock – one that almost gave her a coronary – Yamamoto, the emperor of China, the highest person on the social hierarchy, bent his head and bowed to her. The shock carried on to every other person present, but then they hastened to follow the emperor's lead, paying respects to their saviour.

Once Yamamoto had risen, he raised his hands and motioned for his people to rise as well. Not a single soul spoke – the entire city was silent.

"Let it be known," he boomed, "to China and beyond, the name of this young girl so that it may be passed down from generation to generation. See that she will forever be known as the saviour of China. Never let it be forgotten: the legend of Tao Hua Hinamori!"

The crowd erupted in earth-shaking cheers, prompting a fresh wave of fireworks to light up the skies. Momo thanked Yamamoto with a watery smile. Then, with tears no longer contained, she turned around and ran right into Toshiro's waiting arms, tackling him with vigour.

As the memories of her fateful adventure flooded her mind, she began to sob with uncontrolled joy. Finally, it was all over, and in the end, she did end up proving herself. She wasn't so useless after all. There was a place in society for her, there were people – she opened her eyes and doled out warm smiles to Renji, Shuuhei and Izuru – who accepted her for who she was, and there was a person…

Momo pulled herself back until she was face to face with Toshiro. When she spoke, she could hardly hear herself, but she knew he did. "Toshiro, kiss me."

And his lips found hers, heated passion to rival the fireworks. He wrapped his arms around her legs and lifted her up high, because she deserved to be the closest being to the sky; to bask in her glory. A laugh escaped through her pressed lips, and she knew that his eyes were sparkling, as she knew hers were as well.

He set her back down to earth and held her an arm's length away, just so he could look at her with warmed eyes. "So, my little saviour of China, what are you going to do now?"

"I think…" She looked past his shoulder, the nostalgia of home reaching out to her. "I think it's time for me to go home."

* * *

Final Update: 5 minutes


	29. Never Forgotten

**Chapter 27 – Never Forgotten**

*****

_**Qingtian  
**__**House of the Hinamori Family**_

*****

Home.

The front doors creaked and Momo smiled, just realising how much she missed this simple sound. Obviously, her grandmother still hasn't oiled it, as it has been for the last few years. The spacious front yard was empty and quiet – not a leaf stirred. With a soothing mutter to Jin, she led him to his stable. It was clean with a fresh supply of water and hay. He seemed to be glad to be back as well, for he promptly settled in his favourite spot.

Momo walked around to the gardens dressed in a springtime ruqun; one that was light and cool. Ducking her head to avoid the low hanging gingko branches, passing through that wide, circular opening, walking on top of the bridge railing – she took the time to savour home.

When passing by the state of the Great Stone Dragon she ran a hand on its smooth surface. It casted a perfect reflection on the still waters. One low step at a time, she ascended up into the family shrine, pressed her hands together and gave thanks to her ancestors and guardians. She walked away from the small shrine.

'_It feels so good to be back home. Finally, home.'_

An unexpected yet pleasant surprise came to her around the next corner. She gasped with delight, he mouth wide open. In front of her, even though it was barely spring, the peach tree was in full bloom. Every branch was obscured by soft pink flowers, swaying lightly in the morning breeze. And sitting underneath the tree…

He looked up, as if eh knew someone was watching him. For a moment they stared at each other, not quite read to believe their eyes. But then Momo broke, and she ran into his arms.

"Father, I'm back! I'm back at last!"

Long Fei pressed his daughter closer to him. "Welcome back, my Tao Hua. I've missed you terribly."

"And I you, father. Are you proud of me?"

"Tao Hua, I was always proud of you."

*****

"Hey," Rukia said boastingly, nudging the arm of Byakuya. "So who did a good job, eh? No, a great job! NO! A fantastically, wonderful, magnificent, LEGENDARY job!"

Byakuya sighed and rubbed his temple. "Yes, I am aware of that. And if you did not notice beforehand, the sard has already been encrusted on your statue."

"Oh yeah!" Rukia flew up to her pedestal and began to sob dramatically. "At long last I have my own guardian stone again! This calls for a celebration!"

At once the eleven other guardians appeared. Kaien – having heard all of the celebratory noise (or headache-inducing racket as Byakuya called it) – flew in to join the festivities.

"Hey, nice going, Rukia! What a way to get a guardian stone!" he congratulated, giving her a sound thump on the back.

"I know!"

"Hey, dragon boy." Kenpachi crossed his arms and glared at Kaien. "So where's my reward?"

"If you don't want that nice, black, glimmer onyx I placed on your statue," Kaien started, "then I'll just take it back."

"No way! It's mine!"

"And don't forget about Yachiru! She helped too!"

"But not as much as the great Rukia Kuchiki!"

"Aw, Yachiru did so! Byakushi, you believe Yachiru, right?!"

"…I have nothing to say."

"Well _I _do!" Rukia cleared her throat. "Thanks to the greatest guardian of all time named Rukia Kuchiki, the legend of Tao Hua Hinamori will live on forever!"

*****

_**2008 AD  
**__**Japan**_

*****

"Shiro-chan!"

Momo pushed away at the crowds having spotted her best friend's prominent hair bobbing along ahead. Clutched tightly to her chest was a faded book. She broke free and pushed him from behind, nearly sending him flying into the trash can.

He whipped around. "Hinamori! Stop calling me that!"

"It's a habit, okay?!" She grinned and pressed the book into his hands. "You should read this, Hitsugaya-kun. It's really good."

Toshiro passed his eyes over the plain black book and flipped it around to its front cover. In neat golden script was the title _'The Legend of Tao Hua Hinamori'. _An eyebrow arched up and he looked back at Momo, asking whether or not it was a mere coincidence.

"I found it in the attic last week! It's pretty old. Oji-san says that he remembers it from his childhood. Apparently that's my ancestor from generations ago – over two thousand years! Cool, huh?"

"I've never heard of it."

"Well…" Momo crossed her arms, mulling over things. "I guess it's not that surprising. It originated in China. You should know it was during Oji-san's childhood that my family moved here. I asked him about it though. It's well known over there." She gave him another hard push. "But if you're the tensai that everyone says you are, then you should've known about it, Hitsugaya-kun!"

"It goes without saying that even without my knowledge of this particular legend, I still know more than you. A lot more."

"Don't be so mean, Hitsugaya-kun, or you're not coming over today!"

"Whatever," he replied nonchalantly, but secretly, he vowed to keep from pushing Momo too much because trips to the Hinamori house yielded watermelons sorbet for him. Not that he would ever admit to actually _liking _the sweet dessert.

The bell sounded above them, making them both wince at the loud, shrill noise. Students began to shuffle towards their next class. A girl with raven hair came up behind Momo and tackled her.

"Hey, the bell rang, so get a move on, Momo! I want to get my test results back!"

"Alright already, Rukia!"

Momo turned and started to walk back down the corridor with Rukia, but then stopped.

"Oh, you have a free period next, don't you, Hitsugaya-kun?" she asked, looking back. "If you're all done with today's homework, which I bet you are, you should read it. See you in physics!"

Toshiro nodded his head, a sign of confirmation and farewell. He took his time walking to the library, turning the book over in his hands. The door swung in smoothly and then the comforting silence washed over him, making him feel more at peace. Taking his usual, secluded table placed near the window where he could see into the English classroom – the class Momo was currently in – he opened the book and began to read the first time-worn page.

_**Owari**_

* * *

A/N: I want to give a hugh thank you to all those that supported this fanfiction! There've been a few bumps in the road, but in the end I managed to get the whole story out, and it's all thanks to you wonderful readers. I am finding more time to write nowadays, so I hope you look forward to some of my future works, including another fanfiction based on Mulan - it's a whole new plot! Hope to catch you around :)


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